The Prosecutor’s office in Braunschweig has announced on Tuesday the indictment of six high-ranking officials of Volkswagen, related to the manipulation of the software to camouflage pollutant emissions, the so-called dieselgate. The former president of the group, Martin Winterkorn had already been charged by the German justice and the american.
In particular, they are accused of fraud, tax evasion and forgery of documents, according to a note issued by the public Prosecutor. The alleged crimes would have occurred between November of 2006 and September of 2015. Three of the workers are accused of having committed the facts and the other three to cooperate with the authors, knowing what they were doing.
In the indictment, 876 pages, the Prosecutor’s office accuses them of being “largely responsible” to deliberately mislead the authorities and customers in Europe and the united States with software installed on the motor vehicle that was falsely created the impression that compliance with the limits of pollutant emissions.
“In total, were sold and enrolled nine million vehicles souped-up. As A result of the deception, the authorities had catalogued erroneously vehicles, which enjoyed tax exemptions improper”, always according to the Prosecutor’s office. Up to now, 11 people have been charged in the framework of the investigation of manipulation of the software of emissions, and 32 other employees and ex-workers, the majority in senior positions, are being investigated. The regional court of Braunschweig must now decide whether to admit the allegations and a trial.
Consulted the automotive company, indicates that “the investigations of the public Prosecutor in Braunschweig have been closed after the fine is imposed in 2018, which the company accepted and paid that same year.” Refers to the spokesperson of Volkswagen to the fine of one million euros imposed as a result of the criminal investigation against the company. In connection with the allegations made public Tuesday, the company adds, “are related to specific individuals so that Volkswagen will not comment”.
Manipulate markets
last September, the German justice accused the ceo of the car company, Herbert Diess, the president of the supervisory board, Hans Dieter Pötsch, and the former ceo, Martin Winterkorn, of having committed the crime of manipulating the markets to inform investors of “deliberately too late”, about the risks of the scandal.
In April of last year, the German justice announced its first prosecution against Winterkorn, the former president of the group who left the position in September of 2015 because of the dieselgate. The office of the Prosecutor of Braunschweig accused then Winterkorn and four other people of committing during his tenure at the front of the group serious scam, of violating the laws of competition and of abuse of trust. In the US, the Department of Justice prosecuted Winterkorn in 2018 by the fraud of the emissions of their cars to diesel.
