Photo: Joe Mayer on Facebook
Volkswagen may be feeling as though the worst about its Dieselgate scandal is behind it, but that's not the case for everyone involved. The company may be doing OK, yet some of its former employees are in their darkest hours.
James Liang is one of the people who worked for the German manufacturer back in 2015 when the cheating device used in VW's diesel models was discovered. Now 63, Liang then helped with the development of the software that was able to detect when the vehicle was being tested and reduce emissions accordingly.
A judge in Detroit sentenced Liang to 40 months in prison and a fine of $200,000 for his involvement in the scheme, making a clear statement that all the other indicted in this case will receive similar treatment, with seven awaiting trial.
The decision took everyone by surprise particularly since it was even harsher than the prosecutors' recommendation of three years prison time and a $20,000 fine. You could almost say it shows the US' frustration at not being able to punish those in higher positions, so instead, it's is taking it out on the lower-ranked employees.
“The conspiracy perpetrated a massive … and stunning fraud on the American consumer that attacked and destroyed the very foundation of our economic system,” the Judge told Liang, quoted by The Detroit News. “It was a very serious and troubling crime. Your cooperation and regret is noted, but it doesn’t excuse your conduct.”
Daniel Nixon, the defense lawyer, claimed his client was not just following instructions. "This is not a greedy or immoral man,” Nixon told the judge. “He wasn’t the mastermind. He was blindly — blindly — executing misguided loyalty to his employer.”
Individuals getting prosecuted for corporate misconduct isn't such a common occurrence, and you might think it would be fairer to charge the management alone, like you would in the military. Well, there's one reason why you can't compare the two situations: while in the army you get court martialed for disobeying an order, you always have the option to resign as the employee of a company.
Given the severity of the sentence, several Volkswagen executives indicted in January are even more likely now to stay in Germany and avoid trial, and not just because Germany is a very beautiful country.
A judge in Detroit sentenced Liang to 40 months in prison and a fine of $200,000 for his involvement in the scheme, making a clear statement that all the other indicted in this case will receive similar treatment, with seven awaiting trial.
The decision took everyone by surprise particularly since it was even harsher than the prosecutors' recommendation of three years prison time and a $20,000 fine. You could almost say it shows the US' frustration at not being able to punish those in higher positions, so instead, it's is taking it out on the lower-ranked employees.
“The conspiracy perpetrated a massive … and stunning fraud on the American consumer that attacked and destroyed the very foundation of our economic system,” the Judge told Liang, quoted by The Detroit News. “It was a very serious and troubling crime. Your cooperation and regret is noted, but it doesn’t excuse your conduct.”
Daniel Nixon, the defense lawyer, claimed his client was not just following instructions. "This is not a greedy or immoral man,” Nixon told the judge. “He wasn’t the mastermind. He was blindly — blindly — executing misguided loyalty to his employer.”
Individuals getting prosecuted for corporate misconduct isn't such a common occurrence, and you might think it would be fairer to charge the management alone, like you would in the military. Well, there's one reason why you can't compare the two situations: while in the army you get court martialed for disobeying an order, you always have the option to resign as the employee of a company.
Given the severity of the sentence, several Volkswagen executives indicted in January are even more likely now to stay in Germany and avoid trial, and not just because Germany is a very beautiful country.
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