Audi’s Former CEO to Admit Guilt on ‘Dieselgate’ Scandal, Continues Selling Vehicles Under his Watch

The infamous "Dieselgate" scandal involving Volkswagen is now seeing a development in the case more than seven years later, as a former Audi CEO is set to take a plea deal where he will admit his guilt. Rupert Stadler was known to be the German luxury car brand's former executive who allegedly had a part in selling diesel vehicles that cheated emissions tests.

Its former CEO's trial started in 2020 and is now seeing a significant development that would close the case tied to the Dieselgate issue against its parent company, Volkswagen.

Former Audi CEO Set to take Plea Deal and Admit His Guilt in Court

Former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is set to admit his guilt to a plea hearing that centers on the Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal, according to The New York Times report. The scandal, which emerged in 2015, involved Volkswagen Group cars being fitted with illegal emissions-cheating software to deceive government tests.

Stadler, who was CEO of Audi from 2007 to 2018, is accused of being aware of the emissions cheating but failing to stop it. It is alleged that he continued to sell diesel cars in Europe and other markets despite knowing that they were fitted with illegal technology.

According to Engadget, Stadler has agreed to plead guilty to charges of fraud, falsifying certifications, and aiding and abetting fraud. He is expected to pay a fine of $1.2 million and serve a two-year prison sentence. German prosecutors are also looking to sentence Wolfgang Hatz and Zaccheo Giovanni Pamio.

Dieselgate Scandal Involving Audi, Volkswagen, and MORE

The plea deal comes after years of investigations and legal battles surrounding the Dieselgate scandal. The scandal, which affected millions of cars worldwide, has resulted in billions of dollars in fines and settlements for Volkswagen and its subsidiaries.

Since Stadler's trial which started in 2020, the former CEO remained strong with his innocence regarding the issue until now. His guilty plea is a significant development in the case, as he is one of the highest-ranking executives to be implicated in the scandal. It also marks the first time that a former Audi executive has admitted guilt in the case.

Volkswagen's Infamous Dieselgate

The Dieselgate issue which erupted more than a decade ago is a significant case against Volkswagen and its subsidiaries, incriminating different executives from the company including a VW Manager who received a maximum sentence.

It is not only with Volkswagen, as Audi was also found to be cheating on its emissions test, as discovered by US regulators.

The latest development to the case ties up another massive claim against Volkswagen's previous crimes, where the company is now looking to change its focus by featuring clean energy for its future.

The case has also led to increased scrutiny of emissions testing and regulations, with governments and industry watchdogs seeking to prevent similar scandals from happening in the future. As the automotive industry continues to grapple with the fallout from Dieselgate, executives like Rupert Stadler are now sought by the prosecutors to pay for the fraudulence they did to deceive regulators in the past.