German prosecutors charged former Volkswagen AG Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn and four others with fraud relating to emissions cheating, dealing a blow to the car maker’s efforts to move past the scandal.
In an indictment made public Monday, the individuals were also accused of engaging in unfair competition, embezzlement, tax evasion and giving false witness. The charges could result in substantial fines, the return of nearly €11 million in salary and bonuses and as much as 10 years in prison, making the...
How is it that fraud by an individual is punished by prison time and a larger, much higher impact fraud does not send company leaders to prison? If corporations are equal to humans, then the same punishment is reasonable for leader who perpetrate fraud.
Case has no perspectives. American pressure was satisfied but it's not a crime, and even not a big deal. Row was artificially boosted by American global media and US government that had a direct interest in global competition.