German court sends Volkswagen execs to prison over Dieselgate scandal

I long for the day that ANYTHING close to this happens in the USA

I’m used to executives being above the law. I had to read the article to be sure the title wasn’t clickbait.

In Canada we were told that putting execs in jail would "hurt jobs" and we had to pass a law that said they just get a fine instead.

The execs in question were caught selling hookers to Qaddafi's son.

Before anyone becomes too happy: the post’s title is inaccurate, the two people sent to jail are only middle managers:

One insanity in the following years was how they thought people still wanted their next generation diesel.

I've been working for them in the 2010s with the department to organise the staff car fleet. We ordered many electric vehicles years ahead from production and planned it all around electric vehicles: Charging stations, operating distance, some hybrids for long distance, software to calculate trips etc.

Then a few months before we needed them, they said: We overproduced on the latest diesel generation and can't keep up with the demand for electric vehicles, so we have to sell the ones you ordered. You can either go with a Tesla (for official Volkswagen business trips!) or have the diesel for free.

It felt like there was a hysteria: Decision makers got it in their heads that the "hype" for electric vehicles was ideology-driven and not something people with buying power actually wanted today or in the near future. Bit like the republican administration thinking that "woke" is our main problem. Meanwhile, huge research and development departments did come up with the electric vehicles they sell today (and fully working hydrogen prototypes you won't see in a store, just to be safe) and must have been quite frustrated that so few were produced.

This! Finally! This will make other execs scratch themselves behind the ears and consider their life choices. Fines for the company they work for won't, as these same execs just budget these fines into the crimes they're planning to commit.

Fuck these frauds, hope they stay in for years.

Also, continue doing this, jail all the execs that break the law.

Was this really that hard? If money can buy justice then there is no justice.

Good. Finally they're facing some actual consequences for their actions.

This sounds like actual impactful consequences and accountability for the rich exploitative asshole executives actually responsible? Did I forget to wake up in the morning?

This is the way.

The dieselgate scandal is why I am so disappointed when I heard that Volkswagen outsold Tesla in Europe for the number one spot since the start of the year. I have been hoping it would a more scrupulous company (and non-Chinese EV manufacturer) that took the number one spot for European EV cars sold.

US Republicans be like "ANTI-BUSINESS! Enjoying communism?"

The fallout forced CEO Martin Winterkorn to resign, although he denied wrongdoing. U.S. authorities issued an arrest warrant for Winterkorn in 2018, but Germany does not extradite its nationals. His trial in Germany was paused in 2021 due to health issues, but he remains a key figure under investigation.

Rich people going to jail what fantasy is this. And i can i live there

Anyone have a link without the anti GDRP cookie trackers?

I'm getting a paywall or adblock block or something. Anyone have a less problematic link to the article?

Good

"A good start..."

It took 10 years? Well even longer because they figured something was wrong before it came public.

The court sent the former head of diesel engine development behind bars for four years and six months, and the former head of powertrain electronics to two years and seven months.

That's all we need! We will take back control, restore law and order!

:)))))

well I guess there are some places where the law does not always serve the rich, that is mildly good news

Gefängnisvergnügen

Let’s go Germany!! Shouldn’t be the exception to the rule

oh no, my VW stocks 🥲

BMW and VW are the same beasts they were when they were backers of NSDAP in Germany.

Between the VW emissions cheating and BMW's subscription car features, it seems their attitude towards commerce has not changed a jot.