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Bernd Gottweis
VW Head of Product Safety Charged in U.S. Dieselgate Cover-Up
Volkswagen AG head of product safety and quality management who was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury in May 2018 for his role in the Dieselgate emissions fraud cover-up
Overview
Bernd Gottweis was a senior Volkswagen AG executive who served as head of product safety and quality management. In May 2018, a U.S. federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned superseding indictments against Gottweis and four other VW executives for their roles in the conspiracy to defraud the United States, commit wire fraud, and violate the Clean Air Act in connection with the Dieselgate emissions scandal. Gottweis was accused of being part of the effort to conceal from U.S. regulators and the public that approximately 11 million VW diesel vehicles worldwide (roughly 580,000 in the United States) were equipped with "defeat device" software designed to detect when the vehicle was being tested for emissions and activate full pollution controls only during testing. During normal driving, the vehicles emitted nitrogen oxides (NOx) at levels up to 40 times the legal limit set by the EPA. The defeat device software was installed in 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter turbocharged direct injection (TDI) diesel engines beginning in model year 2009. According to the indictments, even after the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and West Virginia University researchers discovered the discrepancy in May 2014, VW executives including those in the product safety division continued to mislead the EPA and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) about the cause of the elevated emissions. VW did not admit to using defeat devices until September 3, 2015, when VW engineer James Liang and others disclosed the software to regulators. Gottweis, like several other indicted German executives, remained outside U.S. jurisdiction in Germany and has not been extradited to face trial. VW pleaded guilty to three federal felony charges in March 2017 and agreed to pay over $30 billion in fines, settlements, and vehicle buybacks, making it the largest automotive industry scandal in history.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury in May 2018 for conspiracy to defraud the United States, wire fraud, and Clean Air Act violations in connection with the Dieselgate emissions scandal
Accused of participating in the effort to conceal from the EPA and CARB that approximately 11 million VW diesel vehicles were equipped with defeat device software designed to cheat emissions tests
The vehicles he was responsible for overseeing as head of product safety emitted nitrogen oxides (NOx) at levels up to 40 times the legal EPA limit during normal driving
Even after researchers at West Virginia University discovered the emissions discrepancy in May 2014, VW product safety executives continued to mislead U.S. regulators about the cause
Remained in Germany outside U.S. jurisdiction and has not been extradited to face trial on the federal charges
VW ultimately paid over $30 billion in fines, settlements, and vehicle buybacks, the largest automotive industry scandal in history
Related Investigations (1)
Criminal Charges & Violations
3 documented violations
ChargedConspiracy to defraud the United States (18 U.S.C. 371)
ChargedWire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343)
ChargedViolation of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7413(c)(2)(A))
Known Associates & Connections
Martin Winterkorn
VW CEO who resigned after the Dieselgate scandal broke; also indicted in the U.S.
Sources & Documentation
3 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
U.S. DOJ: Volkswagen AG Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay $4.3 Billion in Criminal and Civil Penalties(2017-01-11)
EPA: Notice of Violation to Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, and Volkswagen Group of America(2015-09-18)
Thompson, J. et al. - Real-World Exhaust Emissions from Light-Duty Diesel Vehicles (Environmental Science & Technology)(2014)
Personal Information
Education
Key Timeline
2009
VW begins installing defeat device software in TDI diesel engines for U.S. market vehicles; Gottweis serves in product safety oversight role
2014-05
International Council on Clean Transportation and West Virginia University researchers discover that VW diesel vehicles emit NOx at up to 40 times the legal limit during normal driving
2014-12
VW issues a voluntary recall claiming to fix the emissions problem, but the "fix" does not actually resolve the defeat device issue; regulators remain misled
2015-09-03
VW finally admits to U.S. regulators that its diesel vehicles contain defeat device software designed to cheat emissions tests
2015-09-18
EPA issues Notice of Violation to VW; the scandal becomes public, wiping billions from VW share price
2017-01-11
VW AG pleads guilty to three federal felony charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of justice, and importing goods by false statements
2017-03
VW agrees to pay $4.3 billion in criminal and civil penalties to the U.S. government; total costs including buybacks and settlements exceed $30 billion
2018-05
U.S. federal grand jury returns superseding indictments against Gottweis and four other VW executives for their roles in the emissions fraud conspiracy