Former VW Group CEO Martin Winterkorn was found to be guilty by prosecutors in the emission
scandal. Winterkorn resigned in September 2015. The Detroit federal court made the charges in March,
although the indictment was sealed until May 3, 2018. The 70-year- old is also guilty of wire fraud and
violating the Clear Air Act through Volkswagen’s by using an illegal device to cheat US emissions tests.
“The indictment unsealed today alleged that Volkswagen’s scheme to cheat its legal requirements went
all the way to the top of the company,” said US attorney general Jeff Sessions in a statement. “These are
serious allegations, and we will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law.”
He is the ninth person to be charged by US prosecutors so far.