VW fraud scandal: Ex-manager convicted of years!

VW fraud scandal: Ex-manager convicted of years!

Braunschweig, Deutschland - At the Braunschweig district court, four former Volkswagen managers were guilty of fraud. This was announced by the business criminal chamber on May 26, 2025. Two of the accused received several years of prison, while two more came away with suspended sentences. According to Krone , a procedure ended that took almost four years and dealt with the far-reaching VW exhaust scandal.

The scandal took its early in September 2015 when Volkswagen had to give false test results in the USA in retrospect. This not only led to the resignation of the then CEO Martin Winterkorn, but also to a financial disaster for the company, which according to its own statements cost around 33 billion euros. In the current process, the public prosecutor's office had requested prison terms between two and four years, whereas the defense requested three acquittals and a warning.

open procedures and health of Winterkorn

The current judgment is not yet final. In addition, four further criminal proceedings in Braunschweig are pending against a total of 31 accused. One of these procedures is directed against Martin Winterkorn, the case of which was separated for health reasons. Winterkorn had commented on both as a witness and as a defendant and pointed out the responsibility for the manipulations. The trial of him is repeatedly affected by unexplained health questions, and an accident led to an interruption.

according to The press is still contained with many open questions. In parallel to the investigation in Germany, collecting lawsuits against VW have already taken place in the United States. The U.S. Ministry of Justice has initiated criminal investigations that also contain fraud against admission authorities and customers as well as environmental violations.

manipulation and possible consequences

The manipulation of exhaust gas measurement values ​​is doomed in several countries. As LTO over the years, a control software used the exhaust gas values ​​of its diesel engines, in particular for the US market, manipulate. An estimated 11 million vehicles are affected worldwide. Customers and German registration authorities were deceived about the actual pollutant emissions, which could be considered fraud in accordance with Section 263 of the Criminal Code.

The investigation in Germany is now focusing primarily on possible fraudulent actions towards buyers. Volkswagen has emphasized his willingness to provide extensive clarification of the facts, but it is examined who is responsible for the manipulations mentioned in the company, including the board members. In the United States, the company itself could count on severe fines and the establishment of a compliance monitor, which illustrates the dimension of further legal consequences.