Rupert Stadler
The former Audi boss was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison on probation and payment of 1.1 million euros for fraud by omission.
(Photo: dpa)
The defense attorneys for former Audi boss Rupert Stadler and his two co-defendants have surprisingly appealed against the judgment of the Munich Regional Court. The court announced on Tuesday. The Economic Criminal Court had sentenced her to suspended sentences and monetary payments for fraud in the diesel emissions scandal.
In the case of Stadler and the engineer P., the defence, public prosecutor and court had already agreed on the penalties that would be imposed during the trial. Stadler’s lawyer Thilo Pfordte expressed his satisfaction after the verdict was announced on Tuesday last week that his client was spared a prison sentence.
Stadler was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison on probation and payment of 1.1 million euros for fraud by omission. He did not initiate the manipulations, but stopped the sale of the cars in Germany much too late. In his case, the public prosecutor’s office had already approved the suspended sentence during the trial.
The public prosecutor’s office only appealed the verdict against the former head of Audi engine development, Wolfgang Hatz. She had demanded a prison sentence of three years and two months for the 64-year-old. The Economic Criminal Court sentenced Hatz to two years’ imprisonment on probation and to pay 400,000 euros.
The longtime head of engine development at Audi and later a member of the Porsche board of directors had confessed to the manipulation of the exhaust gas control in large diesel engines. He and P. arranged for the development of the software with which the nitrogen oxide limit values were observed on the test bench, but no longer on the road.
Wolfgang Hatz
Hatz arranged for the design of the software with which the nitrogen oxide limit values were observed on the test bench, but no longer on the road.
(Photo: dpa)
Initially, no comments on the appeal could be obtained from the defense attorneys for Stadler and Hatz. Engineer P.’s lawyers stated that they had filed an appeal “to keep the deadline”. Those involved in the process pointed out that dissatisfaction with the judgment does not always have to be behind the revision. One reason could also be the numerous other processes in the VW emissions scandal. As long as the Munich verdict is not final, the three men do not have to testify as witnesses in other processes.
The defense attorneys only have to submit reasons for their applications when the verdict is in writing, which could take up to next year. The Criminal Court has until April 9, 2024 to state the reasons for the verdict in writing. Only then would the case end up in the Federal Court of Justice.
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