Ever since the VW diesel crisis started up....I've been waiting for the US to go and write up charges on the former CEO....Martin Winterkorn. As ARD (Channel One, German public TV) carries the news today (page one and top item)....the charges are now written.
Top charge? Fraud. Lesser charges....conspiracy to violate US environmental laws and deceive authorities. It appears that by spring of 2014....he absolutely knew of the fraud, and continued on.
The basis of this case? Built by commentary by the former VW manager Oliver Schmidt, who admitted guilt and got seven years in prison at the end of 2017.
As for this case starting up? Well....it appears that on these type of charges....Germany doesn't have to extradite Germans to the US. However....if he were to go into any country where the treaty stands.....they could issue a extradition paper, and ask that government to seize the guy.
My guess? Winterkorn will confine all of his travels at this point, and try to live out the rest of his life in Germany. He may never go to court.
The amusing side to this story? Winterkorn probably should have face similar charges here in Germany, and they should have been written up and brought into court six to twelve months ago. The legal system on this one? It doesn't really want to drag this topic up. Germans will sit there and shake their heads......the one single time when some guy probably deserved a minimum of court charges, and everyone wants to look the other way. Oddly.....not even the EU will move on the guy. With all those silly EU environmental laws, you'd think that some legal mind would want to send a message.
End of the story? For Winterkorn? Yes. For VW? There's still more to come.
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