The former CEO of Audi AG, Rupert Stadler, wants to make a confession in the process of manipulated diesel engines. Stadler had agreed to a deal in which he could get away with a suspended sentence and a fine in exchange for a confession, Stadler’s defense attorneys said on Wednesday before the Munich Regional Court.
Stadler had previously negotiated a confession with the district court in Munich, before which he is accused. The court had given him a suspended sentence of between one and a half and two years. The presiding judge, Stefan Weickert, had said that the public prosecutor’s office “could live with it” if Stadler paid a probation condition in the millions. He has now agreed to this as well.
With the confession, Stadler follows the example of the two engineers Giovanni P. and Wolfgang Hatz, who were also accused in the Audi affair. The latter served as head of engine development at Audi during the scam. The scandal surrounding manipulated exhaust emissions was uncovered in September 2015 and the process has been running since September 2020.
Both Hatz and Stadler had always denied the allegations against them for more than 160 days of the trial, even during their months of custody. Apparently, the turning point came from time to time because the court pointed out that a suspended prison sentence was only “still an option” if a confession was made. Contrary to the expectations of many, Stadler did not confess last week, but had his defense attorneys agree with the public prosecutor’s office until May 3rd.