Former VW CEO Denies ‘Dieselgate’ Charges in Trial
Former Volkswagen CEO, Martin Winterkorn, made a compelling statement during his trial over the “dieselgate” scandal, calling the charges against him “implausible.” Speaking at the court in Braunschweig, near VW’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, Winterkorn expressed disbelief at the criminal accusations made by prosecutors. The 77-year-old executive, who started his trial nine years after Volkswagen admitted to installing software to manipulate emissions in diesel vehicles globally, faces charges of fraud and market manipulation.
Previous legal attempts to bring Winterkorn to court were hindered due to his declining health. Now, he could face up to 10 years in jail if found guilty of his involvement in the installation of defeat devices that distorted emissions test results. Winterkorn vehemently denies all allegations, emphasizing his wide-ranging corporate responsibilities and claiming he was not involved in decisions related to the irregular software function in VW diesel engines.
Winterkorn, who led Volkswagen from 2007 to 2015, overseeing brands like Porsche, Audi, Seat, and Skoda, resigned amidst the scandal. Despite the association with “dieselgate,” Winterkorn stressed his achievements, highlighting a five-fold profit increase and a significant rise in the group’s workforce to over 600,000 employees during his tenure as CEO. His testimony aimed to clarify his operational role within the company, distancing himself from critical decision-making processes related to the software in question.
