U.S. Department of Justice indicts six VW employees

Record ID: 163866

  • Title: U.S. Department of Justice indicts six VW employees
  • Date: 11th January 2017
  • Summary: GERMANY (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CAR PRODUCTION AT VW PLANT
  • Embargoed: 25th January 2017 19:11
  • Keywords: Volkswagen executives fine indictments
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES / LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / GERMANY
  • City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES / LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / GERMANY
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA0045YN1AVB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Volkswagen agreed with the U.S. government to pay $4.3 billion in fines and penalties to resolve its diesel emissions troubles, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said at the Department of Justice on Wednesday (January 11).
    As part of the settlement, Volkswagen has agreed to plead guilty to three felony counts under U.S. law: conspiracy to defraud the United States, commit wire fraud and violate the Clean Air Act; obstruction of justice; and entry of goods into the United States by false statement.
    "VW is pleading guilty to three felonies: conspiracy to defraud the United States, to commit wire fraud, and to violate the Clean Air Act; obstruction of justice; and importation of goods by false statements. The agreement also requires VW to pay $4.3 billion in criminal and civil penalties - one of the largest clean-air penalties ever achieved - and also takes specific measures to prevent future violations," Lynch said.
    Separately, Volkswagen agreed to pay a civil penalty of $50 million to the Civil Division of the DOJ to settle potential claims asserted under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA).
    Six former Volkswagen executives will also face indictments, the DOJ announced, including top company officials Richard Dorenkamp, Bernd Gottweis, Jens Hadler, Heinz-Jakob Neusser, Jurgen Peter, and Oliver Schmidt, Lynch announced.
    "These individuals all held positions of significant responsibility at VW, including overseeing the company's engine development division and serving on the company's management board. Over the course of a conspiracy that lasted for nearly a decade, they seriously abused those positions, and today, they are being charged with a range of crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, violations of the Clean Air Act, and wire fraud."
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