In 2015, Martin Winterkorn, who was then the CEO of the Volkswagen Group, issued an apology, acknowledged mistakes, and promised transparency. He resigned the following day. Over a decade later, the legal repercussions of the diesel scandal, widely known as Dieselgate, are still ongoing.
A significant fraud trial involving four former executives and engineers of the automaker concluded today at the Brownswig District Court. Notably, Martin Winterkorn did not participate in the proceedings. The court imposed prison sentences on two of the defendants and suspended sentences on the others.
The defendants view themselves as scapegoats
Specifically, the ex-head of diesel engine development received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence, while the former head of the electronics department was sentenced to two years and seven months. The most senior defendant, who previously led Volkswagen’s development, received a one-year and three-month suspended sentence. Additionally, a former department head was given a probation sentence of one year and ten months.
While the prosecution claims that those responsible have been tried and convicted, the defendants assert that they are exceptional victims of the situation. The prosecution initially sought prison sentences ranging from two to four years, with suspended sentences in only one case, while the defense requested three acquittals and one reprimand.
Legal proceedings are ongoing
The court’s decision is not yet final, and legal proceedings remain underway. Following the initial trial and proceedings against Winterkorn, four criminal cases involving 31 defendants are still in progress in Brownswig, according to a district court spokesperson.
The emissions test manipulation scandal surfaced in September 2015 when VW admitted to employing software to falsify emissions data in its vehicles in the US. To date, the Dieselgate scandal has cost the German automaker approximately €33 billion.
Former CEO Martin Winterkorn was expected to be on trial, but his proceedings were postponed for health reasons before the trial of the executives began in September 2021. He has since testified in court, both as a witness and a defendant, firmly denying any involvement in the diesel scandal. A medical emergency that required hospitalization interrupted his trial, leaving it uncertain when legal proceedings against him, now 78 years old, will resume.
Ask Me Anything
Explore Related Questions
