Image: Shutterstock/multitel Image: Shutterstock/multitel THREE CURRENT and former top Volkswagen executives have been charged with “market manipulation”.
The Daimler fine related to some 684,000 vehicles which have been flagged for excessive emissions by the KBA transport authority. The company has, however, always contested involvement in the dieselgate scandal. Today’s move means the trio are on the threshold of a full trial, like Rupert Stadler, former head of Volkswagen subsidiary Audi, who was charged by Munich prosecutors in July.Prosecutors argue that Diess, Winterkorn and Poetsch – who all sat on the executive board in 2015 – had failed to inform investors of the cheating as soon as they knew about it and the massive financial risks for the company, “against their legal obligation”.
“A settlement did not come about, as could have been expected given the US authorities’ irritation about VW’s delaying tactics,” they added.Diess has run the entire group since April 2018, but joined the board as Volkswagen brand chief in July 2015. Diess “was always extremely assiduous and thorough in the way he dealt with this matter. He therefore intends to defend himself vigorously,” they added.In April, he was charged with serious fraud, unfair competition and breach of trust by prosecutors in Brunswick, alongside four other suspects.Meanwhile, Poetsch’s lawyers also said he was “blameless”.