Former Audi boss Rupert Stadler has been found guilty of fraud by a German court in relation to the diesel emissions scandal that rocked the automaker, Euronews reports.
Stadler becomes the highest-ranking executive to be convicted for his involvement in the use of illegal software to cheat emissions tests. The Munich regional court handed Stadler a 21-month suspended prison sentence and ordered him to pay a €1.1mn fine as part of an agreement reached between his lawyers, the judge, and prosecutors.
Stadler had previously pleaded guilty to the charges. In his admission of wrongdoing, Stadler expressed regret for failing to prevent the sale of rigged cars even after the scandal had become public. The former executive had initially contested the charges but decided to admit guilt in May to secure a lighter sentence.
The diesel emissions scandal, which came to light in 2015, cost Volkswagen over $30bn in fines and settlements and had a significant impact on the entire auto industry, leading to a shift away from diesel engines and towards electric vehicles.
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