German prosecutors opened a criminal probe into former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn on Monday, following the company's recent admission that it had installed software to cheat on emissions tests in roughly 11 million of its diesel cars. Winterkorn resigned from his post as CEO last Wednesday, though he maintained that "he was not aware of any wrongdoing on [his] part." He did, however, ultimately accept "responsibility for the irregularities that have been found."
Prosecutors plan to determine who is responsible and will hone in on accusations of fraud. Winterkorn was replaced as CEO on Friday by former Porsche executive Matthias Mueller.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.