Police raid home of Audi boss Stadler
June 11, 2018
Rupert Stadler, the head of German carmaker Audi, has become one of 20 people under investigation for malpractice in the emissions cheating scandal at parent company Volkswagen, state prosecutors in the southern German city of Munich said on Monday.
They said another board member at Audi was now also included among the suspects. The homes of both suspects were raided on Monday as part of the investigation, prosecutors said.
"Since May 30 the chief executive of Audi Professor Rupert Stadler and another member of the current executive board have been regarded as suspects," they said in a statement.
"They are each accused of fraud as well as indirectly falsifying certifications. This relates to bringing diesel vehicles fitted with manipulative emissions management software into circulation on the European market," the statement added.
Read more: Disgraced diesels weigh on German car sales
International scandal
For several months now, prosecutors in Munich and Braunschweig have been carrying out a probe into activities at Volkswagen and Audi after VW admitted in September 2015 to using manipulating software to lower the emissions test results of diesel models.
Stadler has previously denied playing any part in the manipulations and has remained in his post despite criticism from within the company.
VW has already paid billions of dollars in fines and compensation in the US over the so-called Dieselgate scandal.
Read more: VW sets up $10 billion US Dieselgate fund
tj/amp (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
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