CHICAGO — Uber says a Chicago driver accused of sexual assault was not authorized to pick up passengers for the ride-sharing company.

The San Francisco-based company says Maxime Fohounhedo was driving on an account created in his wife’s name in violation of Uber’s rules. Prosecutors say he used his own photo and phone number on the account.

Uber spokeswoman Jennifer Mullin couldn’t explain how that discrepancy was missed during background checks to verify and set up the account.

Fohounhedo was arrested Sunday and has been charged with sexual assault in an alleged attack on a passenger in November. A judge ordered him held Tuesday in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Public defender Sandra Bennewitz told reporters Fohounhedo “has evidence that will support his claim that … whatever happened was consensual.”