- Title: Prosecutors charge former Audi CEO Stadler over his role in emissions scandal
- Date: 31st July 2019
- Summary: SHANGHAI, CHINA (FILE - APRIL 19, 2017) (REUTERS) PEOPLE STANDING AT AUDI DISPLAY AUDI A3 40 TFSI CAR ON DISPLAY PLAQUE ON FRONT OF CAR READING (English): "A3 40 TFSI" CAMERAMAN FILMING WITH CAR DOOR OPEN CAR LIGHT AUDI CEO RUPERT STADLER TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUDI CEO, RUPERT STADLER, SAYING: "Product, product, product. Technology and innovation. And when it comes to digitalisation, you have to be at the forefront. This is of course a very tough game. We all feel fierce competition and Mercedes is not the only one. There are a lot of other competitors around us. And of course we started a very heavy product programme and offensive, which is coming now to the market." INGOLSTADT, GERMANY (FILE - SEPTEMBER 28, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF AUDI HEADQUARTERS VARIOUS OF NEW CARS PARKED IN PARKING LOT VARIOUS OF AUDIS IN STREET NEARBY AUDI LOGO ON SIDE OF BUILDING
- Embargoed: 14th August 2019 10:51
- Keywords: Audi emissions scandal diesel former Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler
- Location: MUNICH AND INGOLSTADT, GERMANY AND SHANGHAI, CHINA
- City: MUNICH AND INGOLSTADT, GERMANY AND SHANGHAI, CHINA
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA003AQ409L9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German prosecutors said on Wednesday they had filed charges against former Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler, who is being investigated over his role in Volkswagen's emissions test cheating scandal.
Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 to having used illegal engine control software to cheat pollution tests, triggering a global backlash against diesel. The affair has so far cost the German carmaker 30 billion euros ($33.5 billion).
The public prosecutor's office in Munich said Stadler and three other defendants are being charged with fraud, false certification and criminal advertising practices.
Premium brand Audi only admitted in November 2015 that its 3.0 litre V6 diesel engines were fitted with an auxiliary control device which was deemed illegal in the United States.
Volkswagen and its former managers have faced numerous law suits, and in April prosecutors in the German city of Braunschweig charged former Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn with fraud over his role.
The Munich prosecutor said that three of the defendants are accused of having developed engines for Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche cars that used emissions cheat devices.
Stadler was arrested in June 2018 as part of a broader probe into emissions cheating at Audi, which is part of Volkswagen Group, and spent several months in prison.
Volkswagen later terminated Stadler's contract against the backdrop of a criminal investigation into whether he was involved in emissions tests cheating. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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