Former VW chief executive Martin Winterkorn has been charged with fraud in Germany, over three years after the emissions scandal broke and a year after charges were brought in the US.

Winterkorn, together with four other unnamed managers will face charges over the use of software to manipulate US pollution testing – directly causing major air pollution and indirectly creating more damage from the confusion surrounding diesel’s cleanliness after the event.

So far the cost to VW has been in the region of €30bn and it still faces other actions worldwide alongside private actions, some of which relate to the share price falls and non-disclosure.

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