Former VW CEO Winterkorn charged in Germany over diesel scandal | DW News
Summary
TLDRGerman prosecutors have charged former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn with serious fraud in connection with the diesel emissions scandal. Winterkorn is the first automotive executive to face charges in Germany for the scandal, which involved using software to make Volkswagen vehicles appear cleaner during testing than they were in real-world conditions. The company has already incurred billions in fines, with Winterkorn now facing potential imprisonment of six months to ten years and the withdrawal of bonuses if convicted. This marks a significant step towards accountability in the ongoing saga that has plagued the automotive industry.
Takeaways
- 🚗 Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has been charged with serious fraud by German prosecutors in relation to the diesel emissions scandal.
- 🔍 Winterkorn is the first automotive executive to face charges in Germany over the scandal, which involved the use of software to cheat on emissions tests.
- 📊 It is believed that Volkswagen sold around 10 million cars between 2007 and 2015 with the cheating software installed.
- 🕵️♂️ Winterkorn is accused of knowing about the cheating software as early as 2014, a year before the scandal broke, but not disclosing this information.
- 👥 He has been charged alongside four other individuals, although their identities are not disclosed in the script.
- 🇺🇸 Winterkorn also faces charges in the United States, where there is a particular focus on preventing him from running any organization with US operations.
- 💼 The scandal has already cost Volkswagen billions of euros in fines, including a recent €1 billion fine in Germany and around €20 billion in the US.
- 🚫 Germany typically does not extradite its citizens, making it unlikely that Winterkorn would have faced trial in the US.
- 🛑 With charges now filed in Germany, Winterkorn may have to face a trial in his home country.
- 📉 The ongoing scandal continues to negatively impact Volkswagen's reputation and financial situation.
- 🗓️ If convicted, Winterkorn faces a potential prison sentence of between six months and ten years, and may have to forfeit any bonuses earned during the period of the scandal.
Q & A
Who is Martin Winterkorn and what is he known for?
-Martin Winterkorn is Volkswagen's former CEO who is now infamous for his involvement in the diesel emissions cheating scandal that affected the company and other car makers.
What are the charges against Martin Winterkorn?
-Martin Winterkorn has been charged with serious fraud and breaking competition rules in relation to the diesel emissions scandal. He is the first automotive boss to face such charges in Germany.
What is the nature of the diesel emissions scandal?
-The scandal involved the use of software by companies like Volkswagen to make their cars appear to emit fewer harmful chemicals during testing than they actually did on the road.
How many cars are believed to have been affected by the cheating software?
-It is thought that Volkswagen sold approximately 10 million cars between 2007 and 2015 that had the cheating software installed.
When is Winterkorn believed to have known about the cheating software?
-Prosecutors in Germany believe that Winterkorn knew about the cheating software as early as 2014, but he did not disclose this information until the scandal broke in 2015.
What are the legal implications for Winterkorn in the United States?
-In the United States, Winterkorn is facing charges where authorities do not want him to be allowed to run another organization that operates in the US ever again. However, he is unlikely to face trial in the US due to Germany's policy against extraditing its citizens.
What has been the financial impact of the scandal on Volkswagen?
-The scandal has cost Volkswagen billions of euros, with fines in Germany amounting to a billion euros and around 20 billion euros in fines in the US.
What is the potential sentence for Winterkorn if he is convicted of the charges in Germany?
-If convicted, Winterkorn faces between six months and ten years in prison, and any bonuses he received as a result of the fraudulent sales during those years could be withdrawn.
What does the scandal signify for the automotive industry in terms of accountability?
-The scandal and the charges against Winterkorn represent a significant moment of accountability in the automotive industry, highlighting the consequences for top executives involved in corporate malpractice.
How has Volkswagen been handling the aftermath of the scandal?
-Volkswagen has been dealing with the scandal by paying billions in fines and trying to move past the issue. They are eager to draw a line under the scandal and break free from its ongoing negative impact.
What is the significance of Winterkorn being charged in Germany for the company?
-Winterkorn being charged in Germany adds more negative press to Volkswagen and prolongs the scandal's impact on the company's reputation, despite their efforts to move on from the issue.
Outlines
🚗 Volkswagen Emissions Scandal Charges
German prosecutors have charged former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn with serious fraud in relation to the diesel emissions scandal. Winterkorn is the first automotive executive to face charges in Germany over the scandal, which involved the use of software to deceive emissions tests, making Volkswagen cars appear cleaner than they actually were. It is believed that around 10 million Volkswagen cars were sold with this 'cheating' software installed between 2007 and 2015. Winterkorn is accused of knowing about the software as early as 2014 but not disclosing it until the scandal broke in 2015. In addition to the charges in Germany, he is also facing legal action in the United States, where authorities are seeking to prevent him from ever leading an organization with operations in the U.S. again. The scandal has already cost Volkswagen billions in fines and is ongoing, with Winterkorn potentially facing a prison sentence of six months to ten years if convicted.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Martin Winterkorn
💡Volkswagen
💡Diesel emissions cheating scandal
💡Serious Fraud
💡Competition Rules
💡Prosecutors
💡Charges
💡Legal Trouble
💡Extrading
💡Accountability
💡Billions of Euros
Highlights
German prosecutors have charged Volkswagen's former CEO Martin Winterkorn with serious fraud.
Charges relate to his role in the diesel emissions cheating scandal involving Volkswagen and other car makers.
Winterkorn is the first automotive executive to be charged in Germany over the scandal.
He is charged alongside four other individuals whose identities are not disclosed.
Winterkorn is also accused of breaking competition rules.
The diesel emission scandal involved the use of software to deceive emissions tests.
Volkswagen allegedly sold about 10 million cars with cheating software installed between 2007 and 2015.
Winterkorn is accused of knowing about the cheating as early as 2014 but not disclosing it until the scandal broke in 2015.
He is also facing charges in the United States where the scandal has been a significant issue.
In the US, there is a push to prevent Winterkorn from ever running an organization with US operations.
Germany's policy of not extraditing its citizens means Winterkorn was unlikely to face trial in the US.
Now that he is charged in Germany, he may have to face a trial.
The scandal continues to negatively impact Volkswagen's reputation and finances.
Volkswagen has already been fined billions of euros due to the scandal.
If convicted, Winterkorn faces between six months to ten years in prison.
He may also have to forfeit any bonuses earned during the period the fraudulent sales were made.
This marks a significant step towards accountability for the emissions-cheating scandal.
Transcripts
German prosecutors have charged
Volkswagens former CEO Martin Winterkorn
with serious fraud
that's over his part in the diesel
emissions cheating scandal that engulfed
Volkswagen and other car makers
Winterkorn is the first auto company
boss to be charged over the scandal in
Germany and Rob watts is here in the
studio with us from DW business to break
all of this down for us so what exactly
is he accused of brother so and you
mentioned they're serious fraud well
actually the prosecutors of use of words
particularly serious fraud in relation
to this case he's charged alongside four
others we don't actually know who those
four others are but he's also accused of
not only the fraud but of breaking
competition rules as you mentioned the
first automotive boss to be charged in
Germany over the diesel emissions
scandal and that's what this is all
about let's just remind ourselves
exactly what that was so the diesel
emission scandal was the use of software
by the likes of VW to make their cars
appear to be emitting fewer harmful
chemicals during testing than they
actually did when they were out on the
road and what it's thought is that VW
sold something like 10 million cars
between 2007 and 2015 that had this
cheating software installed what mr.
vinta corn is accused of is knowing
about this sooner than he let on I mean
he resigned more or less immediately
after the scandal broke in 2015 but
prosecutors in Germany of today said
they think he knew about this as early
as 2014 but didn't let anyone know and
it's not the only legal trouble that
he's in is it no it's not so we
mentioned he's been charged in Germany
which is actually also facing charges in
America where this has been a very big
deal there he's being sued VW is also
being sued but there is particular focus
on Martin Winterkorn there they don't
want him to ever be allowed to run
another organization that has operations
in the US ever again
but he was unlikely to actually face
trial in the US because Germany has a
habit of not extraditing in fact has a
rule
not extraditing its citizens but now
he's been charged in Germany itself he
may well end up having that day in court
so walk us through now what happens next
not only for Winterkorn but also for VW
yes for VW this is yet more bad press
it's the scandal that won't go away
they're clearly very keen to draw a line
under it it's cost them billions of
euros just last year actually
prosecutors in Germany at find them a
billion euros over the scandal but in
the u.s. they've also had fines of
around 20 billion euros so they're
desperate to break free of this as you
might expect martin vinter Cornwell the
prosecutors have said today that he
faces between six months and ten years
behind bars if he is convicted of these
charges he also faces having any bonuses
that he made as a result if the sale was
made over those years being withdrawn
from him okay so a big day when it comes
to accountability for the
emissions-cheating scandal first time
that we've seen a top boss like this
charged with in germany rob watts
breaking it down for us thanks so much
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