According to the authorities, the proceedings for aiding and abetting fraud, breach of trust and aiding and abetting breach of trust are still directed against a total of 60 suspects.
(Photo: dpa)
Hamburg There is a breakthrough in the investigation into Continental’s possible involvement in the VW diesel scandal. One of the suspects, a technical project manager, has fully admitted his involvement in the crime and knowledge of the defeat device in the 1.6-liter EA 189 diesel engine from Volkswagen and charged other suspects, the Hanover public prosecutor said on Friday at the request of the Reuters news agency. The leniency program is applied to him, which allows for a lighter sentence.
Based on the project manager’s statement, several other suspects contacted the public prosecutor’s office “to make confessed statements,” the investigating authority said.
The investigations and the proceedings against the leniency witness would be discontinued for a monetary condition. Continental declined to comment. A spokesman said he did not know the status of the investigation.
According to the authorities, the proceedings for aiding and abetting fraud, breach of trust and aiding and abetting breach of trust are still directed against a total of 60 suspects. Two other people are being investigated for violating the duty of supervision.
The public prosecutor’s office had expanded their investigations into the VW diesel scandal in November to include former top managers at Continental. Ex-CEO Elmar Degenhart, CFO Wolfgang Schäfer, who was dismissed because of the allegations, and another former board member are affected.
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