Former Audi boss charged over emissions scandal
Rupert Stadler was arrested by German authorities in June 2018 over his role in the dieselgate affair
German prosecutors have filed charges against former Audi boss Rupert Stadler over his role in the Volkswagen dieselgate scandal.
He was arrested in June 2018 while in charge of the premium brand, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, and accused of having known about Audi’s diesel emissions test cheating but not doing anything to stop sales. Stadler’s contract at Audi was terminated shortly after his arrest.
The scandal, revealed at Volkswagen in September 2015, involved devices tricking emissions-testing software into thinking diesel engines were more economical than in reality.
Reuters reports that this is around the time Stadler is said to have learnt of Audi’s role in the scandal but did not reveal until November 2015 that its 3.0-litre V6 diesel engines had been fitted with the device.
Stadler has been charged along with three other unnamed defendants, who developed engines for Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche with the so-called ‘defeat devices’ fitted.
In a statement, German prosecutors said: “Defendant Stadler is accused of having been aware of the manipulations since the end of September 2015 at the latest, but he did not prevent the sale of affected Audi and VW vehicles thereafter.”
They added that his indictment relates to approximately 250,000 Audis, 112,000 Porsches and 72,000 Volkswagens sold in America and Europe.
