German prosecutors have charged 15 executives from Volkswagen and an auto supplier in relation to the diesel emissions scandal that emerged in 2015.
The suspects are alleged of aiding and abetting fraud, together with tax evasion, indirect false certification and criminal advertising, said Klaus Ziehe from the prosecutor’s office in the northern city of Braunschweig.
The scandal has seen more than nine million vehicles of the Volkswagen and its brands like Audi, Seat and Skoda brands sold to consumers with a so-called defeat device which helped to manipulate environmental tests of diesel engines.
The prosecutor’s office did not name any of the charged executives, who are alleged of bringing vehicles onto the market in a condition that was not formally approved, indicating they were illegal and advertised inappropriately, Ziehe said.
Ziehe added the indictment had now reached 1554 pages.
A Volkswagen spokesman said a criminal investigation against the automaker had been dropped in 2018 after it paid a fine.
“Against this background, we do not comment on the other charges that have come to light…,” the spokesman added.
