F.B.I. Arrests Volkswagen Executive on Conspiracy Charges in Emissions Scandal

[mountaineer]

F.B.I. Arrests Volkswagen Executive on Conspiracy Charges in Emissions Scandal
By ADAM GOLDMAN and HIROKO TABUCHI
January 9, 2017

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Volkswagen executive who faces charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, two people with knowledge of the arrest said on Sunday, marking an escalation of the criminal investigation into the automaker’s diesel emissions cheating scandal.

Oliver Schmidt, who led Volkswagen’s regulatory compliance office in the United States from 2014 to March 2015, was arrested on Saturday by investigators in Florida and is expected to be arraigned on Monday in Detroit, said the two people, a law enforcement official and someone familiar with the case.

After a study by West Virginia University first raised questions over Volkswagen’s diesel motors in early 2014, Mr. Schmidt played a central role in trying to convince regulators that excess emissions were caused by technical problems rather than by deliberate cheating. Much of the data presented to regulators was fabricated, officials of the California Air Resources Board have said.

Mr. Schmidt continued to represent Volkswagen after the company admitted in September that cars were programmed to dupe regulators.  ...
Rest of story at New York Times

[mountaineer]

Business News | Wed Jan 11, 2017 | 9:44am EST
Latest Volkswagen bill for emissions scandal unlikely to top 20 billion euros: source
By Andreas Cremer | BERLIN

A settlement with the U.S. authorities over emissions test cheating will push up the cost for Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), but the bill is likely to remain below 20 billion euros ($21 billion), a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Europe's biggest carmaker has said it is in advanced talks with the Justice Department over a $4.3 billion settlement, adding that meant it would exceed current provisions set aside to cover the costs of the scandal.

Volkswagen (VW) has already announced 18.2 billion euros ($19.1 billion) of provisions to cover the costs of "Dieselgate," of which 16.2 billion euros were booked in 2015.

"We are counting on a sum of 16 billion plus X. The X is likely to be in the 2 to 4 billion range," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

VW declined to comment.

The German company's supervisory board was meeting on Wednesday to approve the draft deal with the Justice Department, which would be a major milestone in its attempts to recover from the biggest business scandal in its 80-year history. ...

Rest of story at Reuters.

[Wingnut]

The FBI can arrest a lying cheating polluter but can't find enough cause to arrest a lying cheating former POS of a SoS. Who knew.

[driftdiver]

F.B.I. Arrests Volkswagen Executive on Conspiracy Charges in Emissions Scandal
By ADAM GOLDMAN and HIROKO TABUCHI
January 9, 2017

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Volkswagen executive who faces charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, two people with knowledge of the arrest said on Sunday, marking an escalation of the criminal investigation into the automaker’s diesel emissions cheating scandal.

Oliver Schmidt, who led Volkswagen’s regulatory compliance office in the United States from 2014 to March 2015, was arrested on Saturday by investigators in Florida and is expected to be arraigned on Monday in Detroit, said the two people, a law enforcement official and someone familiar with the case.

After a study by West Virginia University first raised questions over Volkswagen’s diesel motors in early 2014, Mr. Schmidt played a central role in trying to convince regulators that excess emissions were caused by technical problems rather than by deliberate cheating. Much of the data presented to regulators was fabricated, officials of the California Air Resources Board have said.

Mr. Schmidt continued to represent Volkswagen after the company admitted in September that cars were programmed to dupe regulators.  ...
Rest of story at New York Times

My son, who understands such things, thinks its simply a matter of engine tuning.  You can tune for power, fuel economy, or emissions.   I'd trust VW folks far far more than I'd trust government officials especially EPA or someone from California Air Resources.

[uglybiker]

Oliver Schmidt, who led Volkswagen’s regulatory compliance office in the United States from 2014 to March 2015, was arrested on Saturday ...

FREE OLIVER!!!

[truth_seeker]

My son, who understands such things, thinks its simply a matter of engine tuning.  You can tune for power, fuel economy, or emissions.   I'd trust VW folks far far more than I'd trust government officials especially EPA or someone from California Air Resources.

They cheated the system, no matter if you want pollution controlled or not.

I know something about this, because I purchased one just 11 days before the scandal was announced, 16 months ago.

Your son is correct as far as technology goes. Students in West Virginia broke the cheat.

BMW and Mercedes sell comparable diesel vehicles, which meet the standards without cheating. VW cheated.