Serious Fraud! Four VW Executives Convicted in Diesel Scandal

The Economic Criminal Division of the Braunschweig District Court has found four former executives guilty nearly ten years after the diesel scandal at Volkswagen was uncovered.

The scandal involving manipulations of exhaust tests for diesel cars came to light in September 2015. Shortly before, the Wolfsburg-based automaker had admitted to falsifying test results in the United States. A few days later, CEO Winterkorn resigned. VW plunged into one of its biggest crises, which the company claims has so far cost around €33 billion (approx. $34.22 billion). A particularly severe case of fraud is present in connection with the diesel scandal at VW, as explained by the lawyers. Four defendants have now been convicted. Two of them must serve multi-year prison sentences, while the other two are now on probation. The judges even went beyond the prosecution's demands, sentencing a former head of diesel engine development to four and a half years in prison, as it was revealed. The 59-year-old was viewed by the court as essentially being at the center of the events. However, the verdict is not yet final, and the legal process is not concluded even after this conviction. A former head of drive electronics is also to be imprisoned. The 65-year-old received a sentence of two years and seven months. Notably, the two individuals affected by the imprisonment listened with bowed heads and hands clasped during the more than three-hour reasoning for the verdict, in a nearly full courtroom.

VW Defendants Claim They Are Being Scapegoated

For all defendants, the chamber considered gang fraud to have been proven from the time they became aware of the cheating software. The chamber put the damage caused at around 2.1 billion euros, for which, however, not all of them can be held equally responsible. During the trial, the four defendants had made it clear that they saw themselves more as pawns in the diesel scandal. The defense lawyers had demanded three acquittals and one caution. Their reaction was accordingly. The verdict is wrong, commented lawyer Philipp Gehrmann. For his defendant in particular, the chamber had overshot the mark with the sentence of over two years in prison. He wants to appeal.

Martin Winterkorn Became a Marginal Figure

Incidentally, after the first trial and the complex against Winterkorn, four further criminal proceedings against a total of 31 defendants are still pending in Braunschweig. As a spokesman for the regional court announced after the verdict, the trial against five defendants is due to begin in November. It was originally planned that former Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn would also sit in the dock. However, his part of the trial was severed before the start in September 2021 for health reasons. Winterkorn has since testified in court both as a witness and as a defendant, firmly denying responsibility for the diesel scandal. However, an accident with a stay in hospital interrupted the trial against the most prominent defendant. Whether and when the proceedings against the now 78-year-old can be continued is completely open.