Four former managers at German carmaker Volkswagen were convicted of fraud on Monday over the diesel emissions scandal, nearly a decade after U.S. authorities discovered manipulated software on millions of cars.
The Braunschweig Regional Court sentenced two defendants to several years in prison, while the other two received suspended sentences.
The massive case dates back to September 2015, when it was discovered in the U.S. that Volkswagen had installed software in its diesel cars to cheat on emissions tests.
The so-called "defeat devices" meant that the cars complied with nitrogen oxide limits during test conditions, but not when actually driven out on the road.
Known internationally as "Dieselgate," the scandal plunged the Wolfsburg-based carmaker into a deep crisis.
It led to countless lawsuits and costs that the company has estimated at over 30 billion euros ($34 billion).
The four defendants had been on trial since September 2021 and received different sentences.
A senior manager in diesel engine development was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison, while the long-time head of the company's powertrain technology was sentenced to two years and seven months.
The head of development for the core VW brand – the most senior executive of the four – received a suspended sentence of one year and three months, and a department head for diesel emissions control was handed a suspended sentence of one year and 10 months.
While the guilty verdict represents a historic milestone in authorities' efforts to bring the Dieselgate perpetrators to justice, the court's judgment is not final, meaning the defendants can appeal their sentences.
Further criminal proceedings against a total of 31 defendants are still open in Braunschweig, according to a spokesperson for the regional court.
Former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn was also originally due to be included in the Braunschweig trial.
However, his case was separated before the trial began due to health reasons.
At the start of his own trial in September 2024, Winterkorn denied the allegations and rejected any responsibility for the scandal. His trial was postponed again after he suffered an accident that required medical treatment.
Once Germany's highest-paid business executive, Winterkorn stepped down in the wake of the scandal but denied any personal culpability in the scheme.
Prosecutors alleged in court that Winterkorn knew details about the illegal software by May 2014 at the latest, earlier than the former executive had acknowledged.
