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German court sends VW execs to prison over Dieselgate scandal (www.politico.eu)

submitted 3 days ago by geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml to c/europe@lemmy.ml

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A German regional court on Monday convicted four former Volkswagen executives of fraud in connection with the long-running Dieselgate emissions scandal.

The court sentenced two of the former executives to prison for several years, while the remaining two received suspended sentences. The ruling concludes a major trial that spanned nearly four years.

The scandal known as Dieselgate first came to light in September 2015, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency discovered that many diesel vehicles produced by German carmaker Volkswagen were equipped with illegal so-called defeat devices.

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[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 55 points 3 days ago (3 children)

I am utterly shocked at this semblance of accountability.

[–] BreakerSwitch@lemm.ee 16 points 3 days ago

So jealous. So very, very jealous. "If a poor man steals, it is so he may eat. If a rich man steals, it feeds only his greed. Which, then, is the greater crime?" Should be a consideration in legal systems, on top of the whole "the rich do damage in the billions, the poor do damage in single digits" thing.

[–] haui_lemmy@lemmy.giftedmc.com 9 points 3 days ago

Exactly my thought.

[–] makyo@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

Virtually unprecedented in the USA in modern times anyway

[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago (2 children)

If this were the U.S., Trump would pardon them. However, lets be real. If this were the U.S., they never would have been put on trial in the first instance.

[–] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Ironically, the US EPA are the ones who discovered the problem.

[–] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

During Trump's first term no less.

[–] Buelldozer 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Really? 'Cuz there's two Audi execs in prison over this in the US right now.

[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Were they prosecuted during the current administration?

[–] Buelldozer 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Trump's 1st term.

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

several years

Wat? Do they not know how many?

[–] 7bicycles@hexbear.net 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Tagesschau, the public broadcaster, cites 4 1/2 years for the head of diesel engine develpment and two years 7 months for head of drivetrain electronics.

Highest ranking figure, the former chief of development got 1 year 3 months suspendet, a former middle manager got 1 year and 10 months suspended

EDIT: Tagesschau also cites tham as agreeing they are patsys, as according to them prosecution against many other people got dropped which they figure is due to some sort of plea deals. Guess these are the idiots that didn't rat out their shitty colleagues.