Where are the processes against the VW management in the diesel scandal

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Status: 05/16/2023 3:52 p.m

With the admission of ex-Audi boss Stadler, the role of VW management in the diesel scandal is far from legally clarified. The most prominent figure in the scandal has not yet had to answer to a court.

With the confession of the former Audi boss Rupert Stadler, the first trial against a top manager of the VW group is about to be concluded.

However, the role of the VW group leaders in the diesel scandal is still a long way from being legally processed, even almost eight years after it began.

While the trial before the Munich II Regional Court, in which the accused ex-Porsche development director Wolfgang Hatz and two senior engineers were also confessed, is drawing to a close, a series of proceedings before the Braunschweig Regional Court are still dragging on.

In return, the court had promised him a suspended sentence with a fine.
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Proceedings against Winterkorn are suspended

So the most noticed procedure, that against the longtime VW CEO Martin Winterkorn, is still on hold. Winterkorn resigned as CEO in September 2015, but continues to deny allegations of fraud against him. In early 2021, he applied for the main hearing to be postponed for health reasons and later underwent several hip surgeries.

It is unclear when the former top manager will be able to negotiate again. While Winterkorn, who will soon be 76, has not yet had to answer in court, he has already paid his former company 11.2 million euros in damages. The diesel scandal has already cost Volkswagen itself over 30 billion euros in fines and damages.

The general meeting of the largest German car company, Volkswagen, was disrupted by numerous incidents today.
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Suspicion of “commercial and gang fraud”

Meanwhile, the proceedings against the four accused car managers in Braunschweig continue without Winterkorn. The judges had previously expressed sufficient suspicion that the five managers with the defeat devices had committed “commercial and gang fraud”.

In total, charges have been brought against 34 people in four cases in Braunschweig, including former VW board member Heinz-Jakob Neusser. The proceedings against the former VW board members Herbert Diess and Hans Dieter Pötsch have now been discontinued against monetary conditions.

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