Autocar.com
Dieselgate: former Volkswagen executive jailed for seven years
US District Court rules Oliver Schmidt, formerly the firm's US emissions compliance manager, was 'key conspirator' in scandal
Volkswagen emissions
A former Volkswagen exec has been jailed in the US for his role in the Dieselgate scandal
James Attwood, digital editor
by James Attwood
6 December 2017
Former Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt has been sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $400,000 (£299,000) by a US District Court for his role in the Dieselgate scandal.
Schmidt was the firm’s emissions compliance manager for the US from 2012 until February 2015. He had returned to Germany but was arrested at an airport in Florida in January. In August, he pleaded guilty to two charges related to the emission scandal: conspiracy to defraud the US to commit wire fraud and to violate the Clean Air Act; and violating the Clean Air Act. A third charge, relating to wire fraud, was dropped.
Schmidt’s defence attorney had appealed for a maximum sentence of 40 months, with a $100,000 fine. But in the Eastern District of Michigan United States District Court, federal judge Sean Cox told Schmidt: “It is my opinion that you are a key conspirator in this scheme to defraud the United States. You saw this as your opportunity to shine.” Both the seven-year sentence and fine were at the top end of sentencing guidelines.
Greed, lies and deception - the Dieselgate scandal laid bare
According to The Detroit News, in a letter addressed to Cox ahead of the sentencing, Schmidt wrote: “I am truly embarrassed/ashamed to be standing in front of you.” He added that he felt he had been “misused by my own company in the diesel scandal”.
When he entered his guilty plea, Schmidt said he learned in summer 2015 about the ‘defeat devices’ VW had installed on diesel vehicles that allowed them to pass laboratory emissions tests, and that he had failed to disclose the existence of such devices.
Schmidt is the second Volkswagen employee to be sentenced to prison in the US for his role in the scandal. In August, James Liang, VW’s former head of diesel competence, was sentenced to 40 months in prison and fined $200,000 (£155,000).
Volkswagen AG pleaded guilty in March to three criminal charges related to the scandal, receiving a $2.8bn (£2.1bn) fine and three years of probation.
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Comments
7
xxxx
7 Years
7 December 2017
Wonder if the corrupt EU will pursue with as much vigor, thought not.
Hydrogen cars just went POP
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Byzantine
Not a chance, chum.
7 December 2017
.
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405line
That's VAG in general
7 December 2017
This should really ready VAG not just VW as other car companies are involved not just VW.
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supercarrambler
meanwhile back at the ranch ...
7 December 2017
meanwhile the US custom car scene is all about building big smoking diesel powered Hot Rods...
ex boy scout, engineer and all round geek.....
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supercarrambler
meanwhile back at the ranch ...
7 December 2017
meanwhile the US custom car scene is all about building big smoking diesel powered Hot Rods...
ex boy scout, engineer and all round geek.....
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BertoniBertone
No chiefs....only one Indian....
7 December 2017
An 'executive'....like, er, one single 'executive'...? So, the odd monkey cops it whilst the organ-grinders in Wolfsburg are ensconced in the warmth of a fat pay-off and a comforting mega-pension. Hoorah for the EU.
BertoniBertone
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odie_the_dog
VW executives should be
7 December 2017
VW executives should be jailed for crimes against the motorist for inflicting such deadly dull, unreliable junk like the Golf on the market and then claiming it's a high quality, well engineered motor car.
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