Volkswagen To Assert Damage Claims Against Former CEO, Former Audi CEO

By Kim Richters

Volkswagen AG's supervisory board decided to assert claims for damages against former Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn and former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler as part of its investigation into the diesel scandal.

The German car maker said Friday that claims would be on account of breaches of the duty of care under stock corporation law.

The investigation had shown that Mr. Winterkorn failed "to comprehensively and promptly clarify the circumstances behind the use of unlawful software functions" in some of the company's diesel-engine cars in North America between 2009 and 2015, as well as to ensure that U.S. authorities' questions were addressed appropriately.

Mr. Stadler had failed to ensure that certain diesel engines installed in Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche vehicles in the EU would be investigated for unlawful software functions from September 2016.

Volkswagen said there were no breaches of duty identified by other members of its management board but the supervisory boards of its Audi and Porsche brands also saw a breach in duty of care on their respective former management boards. It has now ended its investigation into the causes of the diesel crisis.

Write to Kim Richters at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 26, 2021 07:49 ET (11:49 GMT)

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