Ex-VW Managers Convicted in Germany in Diesel Scandal

Verdicts are the tribunal's first in the criminal probe targeting senior staff at VW's main brand

- Bloomberg

Four former Volkswagen AG managers were convicted by a German court for their roles in the diesel-emission scandal, involving the manipulation of millions of cars and causing €2.1 billion ($2.4 billion) in damages to drivers.

Jens Hadler, who led diesel-engine development from 2007 to 2011, was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison over the sale of more than 2 million affected vehicles.

Former top engineer Hanno Jelden received 2 years and 7 months for aggravated fraud linked to the sale of nearly 3 million cars.

After a four-year trial, the Braunschweig Regional Court on Monday also handed former executive Heinz-Jakob Neusser a suspended sentence of 1 year and 3 months for his role in the emissions-cheating scheme, which began after it was discovered that vehicles were fitted with software to sidestep pollution rules.

Another lower-ranking manager, who can only be identified as Thorsten D., got a suspended sentence of 1 year and 10 months. All had sought acquittals.

Nearly a decade after the "dieselgate" scandal broke, the verdicts are the tribunal's first in the criminal probe targeting senior staff at VW's main brand.