The Former CEO Of Audi Admits His Guilt In The 'dieselgate'

Rupert Stadler, former CEO of Audi at the outbreak of the dieselgatehas recognized this Tuesday his responsibility in the modification of engine emissions before the Munich court that has been judging him since 2020 for his participation in the scheme, as announced by his defense.

Stadler says in particular that he “accepted” that the vehicles were offered for sale with unauthorized software and that he “failed” to inform Volkswagen’s partners, according to the brief statement read by lawyer Ulrike Thole-Groll. The former head of the firm, 60, is the main defendant in the first criminal trial opened in Germany to judge the dieselgate.

By acknowledging his participation, something that had already been announced that he would do, he acknowledges the agreement proposed by the Justice, which had offered him a suspended sentence if he made a full confession and paid 1.1 million euros. The verdict is expected to be known next month.

By acknowledging his participation, he agrees to the pact with Justice

For years Stadler defended his innocence, even during the trial. He dieselgate it was uncovered in September 2015. But according to the preliminary assessment of the court, in July 2016 at the latest he had to have knowledge that the exhaust gas values could have been manipulated. However, instead of getting to the bottom of the matter and informing the partners, he allowed the sale of the cars to continue until early 2018.

In fact, at the beginning of 2021 the former director blamed the engineers for not discovering the software that altered the emissions of diesel vehicles earlier.

Stadler has been on trial along with former Audi executive Wolfgang Hatz and an engineer. Hatz and the engineer confessed to tampering with the emissions.