Audi CEO Arrested in Dieselgate Investigation
Rupert Stadler, Audi’s embattled CEO, was arrested Monday “as part of an investigation into diesel affairs and Audi engines,” according to a release from the Munich prosecutor’s office.
Stadler has not been found guilty of a crime yet so the presumption of innocence remains, but he is seen to be at risk of suppressing evidence, so a German judge ordered that he be remanded into custody.
The arrest follows a statement from German prosecutors last Monday, saying it would widen its investigation to include Stadler, among others.
Prosecutor’s made the arrest at Stadler’s home early on Monday morning.
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Stadler has been at the helm of Audi since well before the emissions scandal broke and has been criticized in the past for his handling of the scandal. Still, the Audi board had enough faith in him to give him another five year contract as CEO, while the Volkswagen board saw fit to put him in charge of Group Sales.
Audi has yet to release a statement about the arrest, but a Porsche SE (the company that controls the VW group) spokesperson said that the issue would be discussed at a board meeting today.
Prosecutors said that this arrest was part of its own investigation and that it was not made at the behest of US authorities.
A version of this story originally appeared on Fourtitude.
Sebastien is a roving reporter who covers Euros, domestics, and all things enthusiast. He has been writing about the automotive industry for four years and obsessed with it his whole life. He studied English at the Wilfrid Laurier University. Sebastien also edits for AutoGuide's sister sites VW Vortex, Fourtitude, Swedespeed, GM Inside News, All Ford Mustangs, and more.
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So how and why did VW move (hide) this guy to the top job at Audi? Incredibly questionable judgment by the VW Board...