Former Volkswagen AG head Martin Winterkorn and four others must stand trial over serious fraud charges in Germany for their role in the diesel-rigging scandal that cost the carmaker more than 30 billion euros ($35 billion).
The former chief executive officer and other managers were charged last year with equipping vehicles sold to customers with a so-called defeat device. A court in Braunschweig, Germany allowed the case to proceed Wednesday, but modified some of the charges, saying the suspects could also be tried for acting as a criminal gang.
“The fraud charges concern 9 million vehicles sold in Europe and