Former Volkswagen Chairman Martin Winterkorn appears at a trial on suspicion of fraud, making false statements and market manipulation, in Braunschweig, Germany September 3, 2024.
Fabian Bimmer Reuters
The former Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn appeared in court on Tuesday on fraud charges over the so-called dieselgate scandal, nine years after the German carmaker was found to have rigged emissions tests.
Winterkorn, who was removed from the leadership of the company in September 2015 after it emerged that millions of Volkswagen cars had been manipulated to pass environmental standards, became the figurehead of the scandal, the biggest in the company’s history.
Tuesday marked the start of the 77-year-old’s criminal trial, the culmination of more than five years of cases.
The trial comes as the future of Volkswagen’s German location is called into question, as the automaker looks to save billions of euros on its namesake brand.
A tight-lipped Winterkorn entered court in the central city of Braunschweig in a dark blue suit but told reporters he was “very good.”
Criminal charges against Winterkorn include fraud, market manipulation and unlawful false testimony before a parliamentary committee.
He was also accused of failing to inform the capital market about the massive manipulation of diesel engines in 2015.
Through his lawyer, Winterkorn denied the allegations.
“Our client did not deceive or harm anyone, he did not intentionally leave the capital market in the dark so that investors would be harmed, and he told the investigating committee the truth,” said the lawyer.
The 77-year-old has been suffering from health problems, causing repeated delays to start the trial.
This is the former CEO’s first appearance in court since February this year, when he was a witness in an investor lawsuit.
He denied any involvement in the decision to install what he called a defeat device that made harmful diesel emissions appear cleaner than they are.
He has previously been questioned by an investigative committee in the German parliament and by a law firm commissioned by Volkswagen.
If found guilty, Winterkorn faces fines or a custodial sentence.
