Volkswagen plead guilty in €4bn accord over emissions scandal

Volkswagen has pleaded guilty to three felony counts as part of a $4.3bn (€4bn) plea agreement reached with the US Justice Department in January over the carmaker’s massive diesel emissions scandal.

VW general counsel Manfred Doess made the plea on the company’s behalf after he said at a hearing in US District Court in Detroit that he was authorised by the board of directors of VW to enter a guilty plea.

“Your honour, VW AG is pleading guilty to all three counts because it is guilty on all three counts,” Doess told the court. US District Judge Sean Cox accepted the guilty plea to conspiracy to commit fraud, obstruction of justice and entry of goods by false statement charges.