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Criminal case

United States v. Volkswagen AG

Authority: US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Case number: 2:16-cr-20394
Filed or opened: 11 January 2017
Organization: Volkswagen AG
Current stage: Sentenced. Final.
Outcome: Conviction on guilty plea with US$2.8 billion criminal penalty.

Decisions and steps

10 March 2017Guilty plea to three felony counts^S3
21 April 2017Plea agreement accepted, US$2.8 billion criminal penalty, three years of probation and a monitor^S3

Claims this case bears on

Supported97
The US EPA alleged in a notice of violation dated 18 September 2015 that Volkswagen installed software in model year 2009 to 2015 2.0 liter diesel cars to defeat emissions controls.
Regulator statement, 18 September 20152 records citedProduct claims
Contradicted88
Volkswagen AG said in November 2015 that no software had been installed in its 3.0 liter V6 diesel engines to alter emissions in a forbidden manner.
Company statement, 3 November 20152 records citedProduct claims

Sources

S3Tier A Volkswagen Diesel Engine Vehicle Matters, case updatesUS Department of Justice, Criminal Division. Regulator press release. Last updated 27 September 2023.Supports the case number, plea date and sentence. It has no entry on the end of probation or the monitorship.Link working, checked 25 October 2026