NEW YORK: German automaker Volkswagen AG on Friday pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the emissions-cheating scandal, closing an important chapter in the saga that has rocked the company sice 2015. “Volkswagen deeply regrets the behavior that gave rise to the diesel crisis,” Volkswagen spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said in a statement. One aspect of the case that remains unresolved is the fate of VW executive Oliver Schmidt who US authorities arrested in Miami in January, one of six company officials charged in the matter. The other five company officials charged are believed to be in Germany. The company developed the illegal technology in 2009 and, according to court documents, prosecutors believe senior employees attempted a coverup after learning of the illegal technology in 2015.

Source: Manila Times March 11, 2017 12:32 UTC