Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn is set to face trial in September on charges of fraud and market manipulation related to the diesel emissions scandal that rocked the automaker. The state court in Braunschweig announced that the trial, initially two separate cases, will commence on September 3. The court has scheduled a total of 89 sessions through September 2025 to address the complex legal proceedings.
Winterkorn, now 76 years old, has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with the scandal. The legal proceedings against him have faced delays due to health issues. Winterkorn resigned from his position at Volkswagen shortly after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revealed a notice of violation on September 18, 2015.
The scandal involved Volkswagen's use of software that manipulated emissions testing results by activating emission controls during testing and deactivating them during regular driving. This led to the vehicles emitting significantly higher levels of nitrogen oxide than allowed by U.S. regulations, posing health risks to the public.
In the market manipulation case, Winterkorn is accused of being aware of the installation of illegal 'defeat devices' in approximately 500,000 cars in the U.S. market. He allegedly failed to promptly disclose to stock markets the substantial financial risks arising from the scandal that began to emerge in early 2015.
As a consequence of the emissions scandal, Volkswagen has paid over 30 billion euros ($32.8 billion) in fines and settlements. The case against Winterkorn represents a significant legal battle in holding top executives accountable for corporate misconduct and deception.
