The German judiciary has targetted former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn and a current member of the VW group management board in a criminal investigation over the “Dieselgate” scandal.
It was reported in Automotive News that the prosecutor’s office in Brunswick, Germany – which is in VW’s home state of Lower Saxony – has initiated an investigation in which, if Winterkorn and the unnamed board member are found guilty, could mean five years’ jail, or a fine.
The investigation is based on “sufficient real signs” which indicate VW failed in its duty to disclose the possible financial damage of its attempts to manipulate emissions testing for its diesel engines prior to September 22, 2015, when VW made a public admission over its illegal circumvention of emissions testing.
While the investigation is not uncovering any new facts, the prosecutor’s office did confirm that current VW chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch – VW’s chief of finance at the time Dieselgate broke – was not a person of interest, or under suspicion. VW said in a statement that its own internal legal examination have not disclosed any clear or severe breach of duty of any members of the board, current or previous.
Winterkorn stepped down as CEO of VW last September after VW admitted to cheating in US emissions tests, and disclosed that the emissions-cheating software had been installed in 11 million vehicles sold around the world. Concurrently, reports have emerged that VW is considering removing 40 models from the range of vehicles it manufactures across the group.
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Just pay fine, get out of jail free. Put under kompeni’s P&L, and can deduct corporate tax from it.
Under protection AP system cronies won’t go to jail… even the current law can’t guilty cash king.
He should work in Malaysia. In Malaysia the top brass gets away with anything and all wrong doings …. Cash is King
Must jail this conman. We also hoping that donation conman be jailed.
This kinda expense will be disallowed for tax purpose.
The only benefit doing this is at least it’s not coming out of CEO’s own pocket.
Like that, better jail the VGM people in Malaysia too as well as their assemblers which is DRB Hicom.
After all, VGM also promised German quality which is tough and reliable but customers ended up with their non stop breakdown DSG cars.
VGM also lied for years and years there was nothig wrong with the DSG in VW cars until VW AG in Germany admitted in Black and White that all DSG cars cannot be used in hot countries and where there is a lot of traffic jams as it will overheat.
Maybe its time for either all VW owners in Malaysia get compensation, or buy back all VW sold at full price or the VGM directors as well as DRB directors go to jail also
Pity the owners of VW in Malaysia. Not only they have to have non stop breakdowns and spend their entire annual leave in the SC to fix problems with the DSG, their cars also got no RV now and very hard to sell.
Used car dealers also say they don’t want to touch VW. They say, they advertise the VW in mudah also, in 6 months, nobody call.
Time for VW owners in Malaysia demand VGM be put behind jail too
1. I’M DRIVING 2014 GOLF 1.4 WITHOUT SINGLE DEFECT ISSUE ON DSG, CLOCKING TO 59K KM THE TIME I’M TYPING THIS.
2. I DON’T HAVE ANNUAL LEAVE, AS A SELF EMPLOYED, I AFFORD THIS WITHOUT LOAN.
3. IF FOUND 1 USED CAR DEALER SELLING 1 VW COULD EXCHANGE RM100.00 FROM YOU, WOULD YOU WILLING TO PLACE A BET BASED YOUR CLAIM?
4. I DON’T THINK VW OWNER WHO HAD SUFFERED DOWN TIME FROM PREVIOUS ‘OLD DEFECT HISTORY’WOULD DEMAND THAT.
I hope you realize that your argument doesn’t hold water in the court. Reliability is subjective. Emissions is objective and very measurable. You Kunta Kinte is making a fool of yourselves by asking non-realistic claims.
I respect the Lower Saxony government decision to take such action against VW , although it is the largest contributor to the local state economy. This is what we call accountability. Bravo, on the investigations and impending actions.
In Malaysia, even you curi RM2.6 billion also nothing will happen to you. Even our enforcers of the law (PDRM) given RM12 million to pay ransom, kidnappers got RM8.8 million. So, faham faham lah.
Ransom pun kena GST ma…
Can this be considered political? Cuz I replied to this accusations and doesnt seem to appear.
Someone pls sentence the CEO of proton to jail for “Faulty Power Window” scandal?
Sometimes it’s best to be humble when selling a car. You never know. The company so reputable in the world can come down crashing if someone like this does this kind of thing. It’s a pity for cocky sales ppl. Of vw to condemn other brand cars. Now who are they….. ? No body. And no one would buy today….. Still the best Japanese cars. But still no one can predict anything
go to any showroom, the salesman attitude are the same, they are just not professional, I’m not saying all but some. just find another one that is nice to deal with. Else talk to the branch manager, if they have salesman that is not lansi?
Jepunis cars got killer takata airbags, no quality
Winterkorn kena jail. Winterjib jail people.
Who is winterjib?
Oooh this is because western people are jealous of VW’s success. Always mencabar kedaulatan germans.
How bout Honda Takata airbag that killed 6 family member and the others? why not take them to jail too since it is involved in killing.