Toronto, Ontario -- A German court has sentenced two former Volkswagen executives to multi-year prison sentences for their role in a scheme to fake the results of vehicle emissions tests.
The emissions scandal broke in 2015 after researchers detected software installed in about 11 million diesel VW vehicles that was designed to affect the vehicle only under environmental testing conditions by temporarily reducing emissions.
The stiffest sentence was handed out to Jens Hadler, who oversaw diesel engine development between 2007 to 2011, Hanno Jelden, who was the head of drivetrain electronics during the same period. Hadler was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment and Jelden to two years and seven months.
Two other company executives were also convicted but received suspended sentences.
Investigations found the software was first installed in 2009, when the company launched its line of clean diesel vehicles in North America. The software was eventually found in over 11 million vehicles worldwide.
As a result of the scandal, the OEM was forced to pay US$30 billion in fines and close to US$8 billion to buy affected vehicles back from consumers and on environmental mitigation programs.
Previously, U.S. courts convicted another executive of similar crimes and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment. James Liang, an engineer, reached a plea agreement and received a three years and three month sentence.
