It is king’s question in VW affair: What did Martin winter Korn know? More precisely, when did former VW CEO know that his company was using a special software to manipulate exhaust gas values for diesel engines? Winter corn himself was upset that he had not been informed before fraud came to light. But evidence suggests that this outrage had been played and that top managers by no means immediately alarmed shareholders and authorities. And that is still harmless variant of suspicion, one in which winter grain neir nodded nor tolerated matter, but only waited with announcement to protect group. It would be a deliberate deception, however.
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What winter grain knew, state and corporation must refore try to enlighten. But do Germans also have to think that a former top manager in Wild West is being persecuted by United States, where he is threatened with 25 years of imprisonment? That a high-ranking FBI agent is chasing him with a warrant and US attorney general threatens him and his co-defendant – motto of who is with US pays a high price?
US investigators have to reckon with little resistance when it comes to Europeans
First, answer is: No. For good reason, German law mills grind slower. And even if re is no command from very top of Washington, it is clear: US investigators must fear little resistance at home when y are investing with foreign corporations and ir managers. This was case for European banks in pursuit of financial and tax sins just as it is now for one of German car giants so hated by president.
And yet: Apparently, in Germany, we need Cowboys from America when it comes to pursuing entrepreneurial injustice. That was way bribery system was blown up at Siemens, that was when it came to manipulations of Deutsche Bank before financial crisis. And in case of VW it is no different.
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The company has never had impression that responsibility of ex-boss was really to go to bottom. On contrary. Winter grain had to go 2015, but on occasion Complite confirmed that he knew nothing. Later, VW also found out that affair was taking place below board. And when supervisory board finally began to examine wher it had to proceed against winter grain, it sounded rar regrettable.
This article comes from time No. 20/2018. Here you can read entire output.
The group thus contributed to fact that case is gnawing at Germans ‘ sense of justice. Martin Winter Korn was, after all, temporarily highest-paid Dax boss, in top he earned about 16 million euros a year. For him, that was his share of success. The question, however, is: where is his share of failure, crisis, scandal?
The state investigations also last in Germany. No decision has yet been taken by Brunswick prosecutors wher charges against winter grain are raised. In doubt, US judiciary is also pushing forward proceedings in this country. It is sad that Germans still seem to need impetus from overseas. When it comes to misconduct of Topleuten in economy, Germany still has a lot to learn.
The judiciary should pursue managers as well as any or citizen without hesitation, as long as a suspect. And corporations should enforce or rules for bosses. If it turns out in long run that former success was bought with unfair means, n managers should have to return ir bonuses – regardless of personal guilt. They did not have to prove during ir golden days that success was really ir merit. Moreover, it does not fit with CEO salaries that chefs like winter grain still have a monstrous pension of more than 3,000 euros a day. VW could access it and withhold it as compensation.
More responsibility and less supply, that would have already been achieved. Regardless of wher Martin Winter Korn has to go to prison sometime somewhere.
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