Overview

• Four former Volkswagen managers were convicted in May 2025 in Braunschweig, including a 4.5‑year prison term for the former diesel engine development chief, while two others received suspended sentences.
• The court cited particularly serious fraud causing roughly €2.1 billion in damage, and defense teams said they would appeal.
• The separate case against ex-CEO Martin Winterkorn was provisionally suspended in July 2025 due to health-related unfitness for trial, leaving any continuation uncertain.
• About 11 million vehicles were affected worldwide, the German motor authority ordered recalls in 2015, and Germany’s top civil court ruled in 2020 that consumers were intentionally deceived, leading to payouts to roughly 250,000 buyers.
• Investigations centered in Braunschweig once encompassed about 101 suspects, many cases have been dropped, the U.S. pursued faster arrests and penalties, and VW reports roughly €33 billion in costs alongside a strategic shift toward electric vehicles.