Rupert Stadler in the district court of Munich
The process of the former CEO of Audi AG has been running since September 2020.
(Photo: dpa)
According to the Munich Regional Court, former Audi boss Rupert Stadler must expect a conviction in the criminal proceedings over the emissions scandal. Presiding judge Stefan Weickert said on the 161st day of the hearing on Tuesday that Stadler’s confession could result in a suspended prison sentence.
This also applies to two of the three co-accused engineers. The court reduced the number of fraud cases in the room through manipulated car engines. A verdict is expected in the coming months.
In the case of a third engineer, who is also in the dock, the chamber sees no reason to continue the criminal proceedings. The court, the public prosecutor’s office and his defense attorneys agreed at the hearing to drop the case against this accused in return for a payment that is still to be negotiated.
The lawsuit against Stadler and three former Audi engineers is one of the most prominent lawsuits in dealing with the diesel scandal at Volkswagen and its subsidiary Audi. The scandal surrounding manipulated exhaust gas values was blown up in September 2015.
The Munich public prosecutor speaks of fraud, false certification and criminal advertising. The accused, including former Audi engine boss and former Porsche board member Wolfgang Hatz, have denied the allegations. The process has been running since September 2020.
Responsible for hundreds of thousands of deceptions
The three engineers are said to have manipulated engines in such a way that they complied with legal emission values on the test bench, but not on the road. Company boss Stadler is said to have failed to stop the sale of the manipulated cars after the scandal became known.
Because Audi played a central role in Volkswagen’s engine development, the four accused are said to be responsible for hundreds of thousands of deceptions not only at the Ingolstadt car manufacturer, but also at the sister brands Porsche and VW.
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