Volkswagen execs jailed for fraud decade after infamous Dieselgate emissions scandal
26 May 2025, 21:57
A German court has convicted four former Volkswagen executives of fraud, jailing two for their role in the infamous ‘Dieselgate’ scandal.
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A German court on Monday convicted four former Volkswagen managers of fraud and gave two of them prison sentences for their part in the manipulation of emissions controls.
It comes almost a decade after the scandal erupted over the company's rigging of diesel-engine vehicles.
The scandal began in September 2015 when the US Environmental Protection Agency accused the company of rigging engine control software that let the cars pass emissions tests while they emitted far more pollution in actual driving.
In 2020, around 90,000 motorists who bought or leased VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda diesel vehicles won the first round of their legal battle after the High Court ruled Volkswagen installed unlawful "defeat devices" in thousands of its diesel vehicles.
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The former head of diesel development has now been sentenced to four and a half years in prison, and the head of drivetrain electronics to two years and seven months by the court in Braunschweig, German news agency dpa reported.
Two others received suspended sentences of 15 months and 10 months.
The company has paid more than 33 billion euros (£27.69 billion) in fines and compensation to vehicle owners.
Two VW managers received prison sentences in the US.
The former head of the company's Audi division, Rupert Stadler, was given a suspended sentence of 21 months and a fine of 1.1 million euros (£920,000). The sentence is still subject to appeal.
Missing from the trial, which lasted almost four years, was former chief executive Martin Winterkorn.
He was removed from the trial due to health reasons, but has consistently denied responsibility for the scandal.
Proceedings against him have been suspended because of health issues, and it is not clear when he might go on trial. Winterkorn has denied wrongdoing.
Further proceedings are open against 31 other people in Germany.
