by EuroNews and AP
It’s published
Four former Volkswagen executives have been found guilty of fraud for their role in the so-called “dieselgate” emissions-inducing scandal that shook the auto industry a decade ago.
A judge in the commercial criminal office in the urban city of Braunschweige, Germany, sentenced the former head of diesel development in a prison for four and a half years, while the head of drivetrain electronics was declared for two years and seven months.
The other two defendants received a suspended sentence of 15 and 10 months. All four were responsible for various aspects of the automaker’s engine technology.
The scandal began in 2015 when the US Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of violation.
They accused them of rigging engine control software to ensure that diesel-powered cars pass emission tests, but in reality they released far more pollution when they actually drive.
The scandal has been a major crisis for the company, and has since paid fines of more than 33 billion euros and compensation to vehicle owners.
However, despite the verdict after the four-year trial, this is far from the end of the story.
The Monday ruling could be appealed within a week, and prosecutors continue their bids to find out how widely known emissions fraud is within the company.
It also reportedly has several other criminal cases pending.
Originally, former Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn was to sit on the dock. However, his portion of the trial was separated in September 2021 after he alleged that his defense could not appear on health reasons.
