A German court just handed down some serious penalties to four former Volkswagen executives. They’re going down for their roles in the Dieselgate scandal. This is almost 10 years after the whole thing blew up.
It all started in 2015 when the US Environmental Protection Agency called out Volkswagen for cheating on emissions tests. The company had rigged its diesel engines to pass lab tests, but they spewed out way more pollution in real-world driving. Since then, Volkswagen has paid over $33 billion in fines and settlements to car owners.
Some big names have already faced the music. Two VW executives got prison time in the US. Rupert Stadler, the former head of Audi, got a suspended sentence and a hefty fine. Now, a German court has convicted four more ex-executives of fraud. Two of them are headed to prison.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Heinz-Jakob Neusser, former development chief, got a suspended sentence of 1 year and 3 months.
- Hanno J, an engineer, was sentenced to 2 years and 7 months in prison.
- Jens H, former diesel engine development head, got the toughest sentence: 4 years and 6 months.
- The fourth defendant got a suspended sentence of 1 year and 10 months.
These convictions are just the latest in a long line of fallout from the Dieselgate scandal. The case against former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn is still pending due to health issues. Meanwhile, 31 other suspects are facing charges in Germany. Volkswagen says these cases won’t have a significant impact on the company’s ongoing civil lawsuits.
This whole saga is a reminder that corporate cheating can have serious consequences. As companies face growing pressure to reduce their environmental impact, the stakes are higher than ever. Will other automakers take note, or will they follow in Volkswagen’s footsteps? Only time will tell.