The public prosecutor’s office in Hanover, Germany, has expanded its investigation into the Volkswagen diesel scandal to include former top managers of supplier Continental. A spokesman for the investigative body said those affected are former CEO Elmar Degenhardt, chief financial officer Wolfgang Schaefer, who was recalled yesterday, and a former member of the board of directors of the Powertrain division, which has now been dismissed from Conte.
The allegations were of aiding and abetting fraud and breach of trust as well as the willful breach of a duty of supervision. Yesterday, documents and data were secured at a law firm commissioned by Conti.
The program came from Continental
When asked if Schaeffer’s summons the day before had anything to do with the search, the authorities’ spokesman said, “I suppose so.” He added: “As part of evaluating previously confiscated documents, we have repeatedly come across new evidence and new finds.”
This led to renewed searches. The result of the operation is currently being compiled. A search was already made at Continental’s compliance department in Frankfurt last week.
The investigation is about whether employees were guilty of aiding and abetting fraud and indirect false testimony in the years 2006 to 2015. The software used in the 1.6 liter diesel engine developed by Volkswagen for sale in Europe came from Continental.
The supplier had previously confirmed that the engine controls were programmed by customers according to their specific needs and that he himself was not involved in the manipulations.
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