Former Volkswagen executives were hit with prison sentences on Monday for orchestrating a scheme to cheat vehicle emissions tests — a yearslong deception discovered a decade ago that cost the German auto giant more than $30 billion.
The four former executives were found guilty of serious fraud charges by a panel of judges in Braunschweig, near Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters.
The trial, which spanned more than three years, concluded with a four-hour reading of the verdicts.
The Post has sought comment from Volkswagen.
Jens Hadler, who previously oversaw diesel engine development, received the longest sentence: four and a half years in prison. Hanno Jelden, an ex-manager who specialized in engine electronics, was sentenced to two years and seven months.
Two other managers — Heinz-Jakob Neusser, who led components development, and Thorsten D., an emissions specialist — received suspended sentences of one year and three months, and one year and ten months, respectively.
The sentences were reduced partly because of the length of the trial.
“These defendants were part of a ‘gang,’” said presiding judge Christian Schütz, describing their actions as “particularly serious” fraud.
According to evidence presented at trial, Hadler had knowledge of manipulated emissions software as early as 2007.
Internal emails revealed efforts to keep the test manipulation known only to a select few inside the company.
Volkswagen has admitted that engineers embedded software in its diesel vehicles to detect when the cars were undergoing emissions tests.
During those tests, the vehicles would activate full emission controls. But under normal driving conditions, the cars emitted far more pollution — often exceeding legal limits by a wide margin.
The fallout from the scandal, which broke in 2015, has been far-reaching.
Diesel vehicles once accounted for more than half of new car sales in Europe; today, that figure is under 10%.
The scandal damaged consumer trust in diesel engines and accelerated the shift toward electric vehicles.
Volkswagen has since pivoted aggressively toward electric mobility in an effort to rebuild its reputation. It is now Europe’s top electric vehicle manufacturer, selling three times more EVs in April than rival Tesla, according to JATO Dynamics.
More than 30 other former Volkswagen employees still face charges.
Among them is ex-CEO Martin Winterkorn, whose trial has been delayed due to health issues. Winterkorn has denied any wrongdoing.
Rupert Stadler, the former head of Audi and a member of Volkswagen’s board, remains the highest-ranking executive to be convicted in the scandal.
He pleaded guilty in 2023, accepted a suspended sentence, and paid a fine of over $1 million.
Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, a longtime industry expert, called the convicted men “scapegoats,” blaming a corporate culture “based on fear and obedience.”
Volkswagen has since made leadership changes under CEO Oliver Blume, who is said to bring a more collaborative management style.
The scandal has cost the company more than $30 billion in legal penalties and fines worldwide.
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