Last week, a former senior quality manager at Volkswagen informed investigators he informed then-CEO Martin Winterkorn on July 27, 2015, that the automaker had “cheated” throughout emissions tests in the United States, German media reported.
Volkswagen has stated its executive board did not find out about the seriousness of emissions test cheating using unlawful software up until late August 2015.
The automaker has acknowledged it installed software that deactivated contamination controls on over 11 million diesel vehicles sold globally, damaging its international business, resulting in billions of dollars in fines, and triggering the departure of Winterkorn.
However questions linger over who knew the software was prohibited, when they found out. The timing is very important due to the fact that VW is being sued by investors for keeping holding back market sensitive information – an accusation it denies.
As per a report by Sueddeutsche Zeitung and broadcasters NDR and WDR released on Friday, the unknown quality manager informed German and U.S. investigators that Winterkorn called him on July 27 to check issues with the certification of new models in the United States.
He says he then told the CEO that the automaker had “cheated” in the United States, the report stated.
Volkswagen refused to comment on the report. Winterkorn’s lawyer was not available for comment either.
Winterkorn in January refused to tell German legislators when he first found out about organized exhaust emissions cheating however said it was no earlier than the automaker had formally disclosed.
