A Volkswagen executive has been arrested by the FBI as part of the
ongoing criminal investigation into the company’s emissions scandal, the
New York Times reports.
Oliver Schmidt, who ran
Volkswagen’s US regulatory compliance office between 2014 and 2015, was
arrested on Saturday and will be charged with conspiracy to defraud the
United States.
VW admitted in September 2015 to installing secret software known as
"defeat devices” in 475,000 U.S. 2.0-liter diesel cars to cheat exhaust
emissions tests and make them appear cleaner in testing. In reality, the
vehicles emitted up to 40 times the legally allowable pollution levels.
Schmidt is not the first person to face criminal charges over
Dieselgate: Volkswagen engineer James Liang pleaded guilty to conspiring
to defraud the American public last September.
The news comes as Volkswagen was nearing a deal to resolve criminal
and civil allegations over its diesel cheating, crucial steps toward
moving past the scandal, which has cost it billions of dollars and its
reputation.
In the UK as well, the law firm Harcus Sinclair UK said on Monday it
was launching legal actionVW, seeking compensation for British drivers
affected by the diesel emissions scandal.
In Britain, Europe’s second biggest autos market, 1.2 million cars
are affected and the law firm, which is being supported by Slater and
Gordon, said it would take its case to the High Court and seek
compensation for consumers.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/fbi-arrests-volkswagen-executive-emissions-scandal-case/
(New Europe,
January 9, 2017)