Using Interop.Illustrator with VS2017 aand C# PlaceItem.File property throwing exception

C# code as example of problem:

        private void Run_OnCLick(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)

        {

            Document doc = null;

            Illustrator.Application app = null;

            try

            {

                // open AI, init

                app = new Illustrator.Application();

                // open doc

                doc = app.Open("D:\\Test\\Vintage\\Package_Test.ait", Illustrator.AiDocumentColorSpace.aiDocumentRGBColor, null);

                // insert image

                PlacedItem img = doc.PlacedItems.Add();

                int cnt = doc.PlacedItems.Count;

                String file = "D:\\Dev\\Vinatage\\00_Coaster.png";

                img.File = file; //throw exception

                img.Top = 0;

                img.Left = 0;

                img.Height = 5.4;

                img.Width = 5.4;

            }

            catch (COMException ce)

            {

                string msg = ce.StackTrace;

                string errorCode = String.Format("0x{0:X}", ce.HResult);

                MessageBoxResult result = MessageBox.Show(msg, ce.Source, MessageBoxButton.OK, MessageBoxImage.Error);

            }

            finally

            {

                doc.Close(AiSaveOptions.aiDoNotSaveChanges);

                app.Quit();

            }

        }

msg =

   at System.RuntimeType.ForwardCallToInvokeMember(String memberName, BindingFlags flags, Object target, Int32[] aWrapperTypes, MessageData& msgData)

   at Illustrator.PlacedItem.set_File(String )

   at WpfApplication1.MainWindow.Run_OnCLick(Object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) in D:\projects\WpfApplication1\WpfApplication1\MainWindow.xaml.cs:line 46

I am hoping someone has an idea what is causing this.

If I use the AI menu File->Place it works fine ...