Volkswagen Executives Trip to U.S. Allowed F.B.I. to Pounce
Source: New York Times
By JACK EWING, ADAM GOLDMAN and HIROKO TABUCHI
JAN. 9, 2017
When F.B.I. agents learned that a prime suspect in the Volkswagen emissions scandal was traveling to the United States, investigators knew they were on the cusp of a rare feat: the arrest of an overseas corporate executive accused of wrongdoing.
On Saturday night, agents swooped in to arrest the Volkswagen executive, Oliver Schmidt, as he prepared to depart Miami International Airport for Germany, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the case, one of whom described the circumstances of the arrest. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case.
Mr. Schmidt, formerly Volkswagens top emissions compliance executive in the United States, has been charged with defrauding the government and violating the Clean Air Act. He made an initial appearance on Monday in federal court in Miami. He will be moved to Detroit, where he was originally charged and where court documents suggest that he might be valuable in the governments investigation into other Volkswagen officials.
Mr. Schmidt, 48, played a central role in Volkswagens cover-up of its diesel emissions cheating, according to an affidavit from an F.B.I. agent that was unsealed on Monday. Even as the company obfuscated details of its cheating program from regulators, Mr. Schmidt warned executives in Germany that the company could face criminal charges for its actions, the affidavit says.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/09/business/volkswagen-emissions-scandal-oliver-schmidt.html?_r=0
NWCorona
(8,541 posts)But it also means that Americans under possible investigation in foreign countries, will likely curtail their travels, too!
MrModerate
(9,753 posts)NWCorona
(8,541 posts)burfman
(264 posts)Sounds like it is just an example of the FBI grabbing some publicity to me.
If they really wanted to arrest the guy, just file the request with Germany and have them ship him over here.
Burfman...........
moreland01
(739 posts)We arrest a German executive for doing something that our US executives get away with on a daily basis. Germany would be smart to haul in some of our Wall Street execs who visit there this year. Maybe we can do a hostage exchange.
Tanuki
(14,918 posts)Does Trump have any trips scheduled? Come to think of it, maybe Uday or Qusay will be nabbed for shady business dealings in some other country.....that would be interesting...
EarthFirst
(2,900 posts)Why stop there!