Verdict expected in diesel emissions trial of four Volkswagen execs
A verdict in a case related to the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal is expected to be handed down by a German court on Monday, nearly a decade after US authorities discovered manipulated software on millions of Volkswagen cars.
Four former managers at the German auto giant have been on trial before the Braunschweig regional court for almost four years, on charges of commercial and organized fraud.
Prosecutors identified a long-time head of Volkswagen powertrain technology, a former head of development for Volkswagen's core brand, and a former senior manager in diesel engine development as perpetrators, demanding prison sentences ranging from three to four years.
The fourth defendant, a former department head for diesel emissions control, is accused of acting as an accomplice, with prosecutors demanding a two-year suspended sentence.
His defence team believes that a warning is sufficient. The lawyers of the other men have pleaded for acquittal.
The massive case dates back to September 2015, when it was discovered in the United States that Volkswagen had installed software in its diesel cars to cheat on emissions tests.
The scandal, known globally as Dieselgate, plunged the Wolfsburg-based carmaker into a deep crisis. It led to countless lawsuits and costs that the company has estimated at over €30 billion ($34 billion).
The four defendants have been on trial at Braunschweig regional court since September 2021. In their more than four-hour closing arguments at the end of April, prosecutors stated that the men had been proven guilty of fraud.
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