Volkswagen, Continental AG Sites Searched by Police Over Emissions Device -- Update
July 01 2020 - 12:58PM
Dow Jones News
--German prosecutors have raided the offices of Volkswagen and
Continental to find evidence in relation to the dieselgate scandal
in 2015
--The investigation focuses on Continental, which provided the
engine control units that Volkwagen used to sidestep emissions
tests
--Continental said it was cooperating fully with authorities
By William Boston and Jessica Sier
German prosecutors raided offices of Volkswagen AG and one of
its main suppliers, Continental AG, to gather evidence in a
continuing investigation into allegations of fraud in connection
with the 2015 dieselgate scandal, state attorneys in the city of
Hannover office said Wednesday.
According to the prosecutor, 76 police officers, four state
attorneys and one bookkeeper searched offices of Continental and
Volkswagen and carted away documents, personal notebooks, and
electronic files contained on hard drives, thumb drives and other
data storage devices.
The investigation focuses on Continental, which provided the
engine control unit for 1.6 liter EA189 diesel engines that
Volkswagen had outfitted to sidestep diesel emissions tests.
The German auto-parts supplier said the authorities visited its
Hannover, Frankfurt and Regensburg locations as part of the
investigation, which is separate from the main investigation being
conducted by prosecutors in Braunschweig, close to Volkswagen's
headquarters.
A spokesman for the prosecutor said the focus of the Hannover
investigation is a group of Continental employees including seven
engineers and two project managers who are suspected of aiding and
abetting Volkswagen to commit fraud. No charges have been filed
against the employees.
Additionally, two managing directors and a compliance officer
are suspected of negligence in their oversight responsibilities, a
misdemeanor. No charges have been filed against them either.
Continental said it was cooperating fully with authorities. The
company repeated that it never provided software aimed at thwarting
emissions testing to any customer.
Volkswagen also confirmed the searches took place.
Write to William Boston at william.boston@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 01, 2020 12:43 ET (16:43 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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