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Former VW Exec Pleads Guilty in Diesel Cheating Scandal
Oliver Schmidt, who once headed Volkswagen AG’s emission engineering center in Michigan, pleaded guilty today in a Detroit court of conspiring to defraud the U.S. and violate the country’s Clean Air Act.
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Oliver Schmidt, who once headed Volkswagen AG’s emission engineering center in Michigan, pleaded guilty today in a Detroit court of conspiring to defraud the U.S. and violate the country’s Clean Air Act.
Federal prosecutors originally charged Schmidt with 11 felonies carrying a combined maximum of 169 years in prison. Under terms of his reduced plea agreement, Schmidt faces a maximum 84 months in prison and $400,000 fine. He also will be deported after completing his prison term. Sentencing will be determined by the court on Dec. 6.
Schmidt admitted being aware that for years VW used illegal software to cheat of emission tests. He also admitted conspiring with other VW executives about to hide the cheating from U.S. regulatory officials.
Schmidt’s plea agreement does not indicate whether he has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, who continue to investigate the conspiracy. The U.S. Dept. of Justice already has charged seven other current or former VW executives.
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