"Feeling Wronged" Defendants in VW Emissions Controversy Embrace the Role of Underdogs
Accused Parties in Volkswagen Emissions Scandal Consider Themselves Wrongfully Accused
The trial for the Volkswagen (VW) emission manipulation case is about to reach its conclusion. Four of the defendants face potential prison time. Prior to the verdict, these accused executives and engineers have shared their final, deeply personal thoughts. All have made it clear they don't share the prosecutor's perspective, claiming that the investigations against them have dominated their lives for almost a decade. In emotive statements, they described the nearly four-year-long trial at the Braunschweig Regional Court as exhausting and draining.
From the prosecution's perspective, the four former VW managers and engineers are guilty of fraud in this trial that has been running since September 2021. For three of the four defendants, the prosecution has asked for between three to four years in prison. Defense representatives, however, have requested three acquittals and a warning. The verdict could be announced as early as next Monday.
10 Years Later, a Call for Justice
The men facing prison time expressed shock at the proposed sentence, ten years after the scandal broke. They also found the pleas for the other defendants "irritating and shocking." Throughout this trial in the Economic Crimes Chamber, it has been one person's word against another's.
Separate Trial for Former CEO Winterkorn
Engineers who allegedly proposed the defeat device claim they raised concerns and warned of the consequences. Superiors counter that troubles were discussed, but no illegal activity was ever condoned. In September 2015, it was revealed in the USA that the car manufacturer had manipulated emission values on a large scale to skirt legally binding limits. In doing so, VW employed a widespread deception program that recognized emission tests and only then activated full emission cleaning.
The Missing Piece of the Puzzle
The four defendants in the Braunschweig trial primarily defend themselves against allegations, regarding themselves more as scapegoats. The trial has faced criticism from the start for not including the key figure, former CEO Martin Winterkorn, due to health concerns.
Enrichment Data:
Defendants in the VW emissions scandal often perceive themselves as victimized, a stance with complex underlying reasons and notable repercussions for the case.
Reasons for Self-Perception as Victims:
- Defensive Posture: Defendants may assume a victim stance to deflect blame and mitigate reputational damage. This approach seeks to reduce personal and corporate responsibility by portraying themselves as misled or unfairly targeted.
- Legal and Strategic Positioning: Adopting a victim persona can generate sympathy or cast doubt on intentional misconduct. This strategy may be aimed at influencing legal outcomes by presenting the scandal as the result of systemic problems rather than deliberate fraud.
- Psychological Perspective: Some individuals may genuinely view themselves as victims of organizational culture, peer pressure, or insufficient oversight. This results in internal conflict, a struggle between corporate loyalty and ethical dilemmas.
Implications for the Case:
- Accountability Ambiguity: A victim mentality can blur lines of responsibility, making it difficult for prosecutors and stakeholders to pinpoint wrongdoers and enact justice.
- Delayed Resolution and Reparations: Victim narratives can prolong legal proceedings and reparation efforts by focusing more on defense than on addressing root causes.
- Hindrance of Corporate Governance Reforms: The scandal exposed significant governance failures at VW. A victim stance may impede meaningful reforms if it diverts attention from systemic problems to personal grievances or scapegoating.
- Cripling Public Trust and Reputation: Deceiving consumers into believing diesel vehicles were environmentally friendly, while evading emissions testing, gravely harmed VW's reputation. Defendants' victim narratives could be viewed as attempts to evade responsibility, further eroding public trust and complicating recovery efforts for the company[1][2][3].
- The defendants in the Volkswagen emission manipulation case, facing potential prison time, claim they are being unfairly targeted and portray themselves as scapegoats within the encompassing corporate governance issues, arguing that their self-perception as victims is rooted in a defensive posture and a need to deflect blame and mitigate reputational damage.
- The role of the "business," "industry," and "finance" sectors in the VW emissions controversy extends beyond the violations of the "community policy," as the scandal has become a springboard for discussions on the ethics of corporate behavior, the need for transparency and accountability, and the implications for public trust and reputation that can arise when such violations are discovered.
