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FBI Arrests Volkswagen Executive On Charges Related To Dieselgate (cnet.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the you-can-run-but-you-can't-hide dept.

According to CNET, the FBI has arrested Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt over the weekend on charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. relating to the ongoing Dieselgate emissions scandal. From the report: Schmidt headed VW's regulatory compliance office in the U.S. from 2014 to March 2015. The FBI's official Criminal Complaint states that during that time VW employees -- Schmidt included -- knowingly installed secret "defeat device" software in 475,000 diesel cars in the U.S., hiding during emissions testing the fact that those cars emitted up to 40 times the legally allowable pollution levels when on the road. The complaint asserts that by knowingly installing this secret cheat software, Schmidt and VW conspired to defraud the U.S. by impairing and impeding the Environmental Protection Agency and violating the Clean Air Act, leading to the arrest on Saturday. Schmidt is due to appear before a Federal Court in Miami on Monday.

4 of 106 comments (clear)

  1. Damn, they're going after the right guy by drew_kime · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Here's hoping this leads to some actual changes.

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    Nope, no sig
  2. Re:Why is this story worthy? by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I agree. Since this boils down to someone writing software whose explicit purpose is to cheat on government-mandated tests, I'd say it's a very interesting technical story that involves a scenario that may play out in many areas of development. Being a programmer doesn't mean moral, ethical and legal considerations cease to exist.

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    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  3. In all fairness.. by fluffernutter · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I expect they will be arresting Elizabeth Holmes as well? Or is this an American philosophy arrest, where defrauding the health of people isn't nearly as offensive as financially damaging defrauding.

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    Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
  4. Re:Why is this story worthy? by 4wdloop · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I do not see anybody 'down in the trenches' just out of the blue or love for the job decided to do it single-handed. I would be surprised any of the softies there realized this is very illegal. Ethically perhaps they may have doubts quickly resolved by their bosses.

    I'd expect that in big corporation, like VW, the programmers are just gears in the machine. I am one for sure. They were told to improve test results and performance results. Sbdy (likely team+1/2 levels of mgnt) there decided to optimize these two cases separately hence detecting each use case. They even consulted this with VW legal team and upper mngmnt, got approval and went ahead. Than they all collected the bonuses.

    If there is not written evidence for all of these then their document retention policies are "well tuned" albeit since they must be ISO9xxx certified they must have something left in the decision chain. Hence Schmidt was charged with conspiring to fraud, evidence must exist he knowingly allowed it as he's not charged with negligence of duties of sorts (AINAL).

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    4wdloop