Volkswagen CEO's Dieselgate Fraud Trial Suspended Due to Health Issues

The criminal trial of former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has been suspended due to his poor health. The trial, related to the 2015 diesel emissions scandal, is now expected to begin in early 2025. Winterkorn faces charges including fraud and market manipulation.

The criminal trial of former Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn over the dieselgate scandal has been suspended due to his poor health, a court in Braunschweig stated on Tuesday.

Winterkorn, who stepped down in 2015 after revelations that Volkswagen cars were manipulated to pass environmental standards, is unfit for upcoming hearings. Courts are now eyeing early 2025 as a potential new start date for the 77-year-old's trial, which has been pending for over five years.

Winterkorn faces criminal charges including fraud, market manipulation, and false testimony. He is also accused of delaying market disclosures about the 2015 diesel engine manipulations. The trial suspension coincides with Volkswagen's financial strain and the search for savings within the company.

(With inputs from agencies.)