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Former VW Personnel Chief Admits to Bribing Union Officials
Back in the summer of 2005 the headlines of international magazines and newspapers were peppered with a scandal that included bribery, sex, and corruption. No, Dallas wasn't making a comeback, it was automotive giant VW and the scandal involved 2.5 million dollars in payoffs to VW Works' Council Chief Klaus Volkert and another $500k to Volkert's Brazilian lover. Those payments were used between 1994 and 2005 to bankroll sexcapades and lavish trips to Brazil and Lisbon.
In the first of four trials linked to the elaborate scandal, former Chief of Personnel Peter Hartz has confessed to paying the bribes and will receive a suspended two year sentence and a $750,000 fine. Hartz insists he acted alone in arranging the trips, yet the VW management trials will continue later this year. We're sure VW executives can't wait for all of this negative press to end. Maybe a trip to South America will help to ease the pain. We kid.
[Source: Business Week]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
AM 9:13PM (1/27/2007)
I knew Toyota was up to no good! Oh I guess it's VW. Well I'm sure Toyota is involved somehow. Now I'd better get back to finding a Toyota article , you know , the ones written by the Toyota loving media, agents of Japanese propaganda.
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Drew 8:02PM (1/27/2007)
You just gotta love these Third-Reich founded companies...they really started it all didn't they? Profits over reliability, ethics, and morality - these things are nothing new for a company built on the bones of forced laborers and concentration camp victims. It all just comes so EASY to them. I bet corporate america just goes to sleep dreaming like they could be this evil.
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John P. 8:03PM (1/27/2007)
If only Ford coulda bribed a couple Union Leaders, they'd be in much better shape today.
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Barney 9:46PM (1/27/2007)
It seems the Union is no better then any other. Then you get comments like Drew in the first post, who dosen't see American corporations doing the same. This stuff happens everywhere and only the media cares, as posted in the third post by AM.
I am surprised "Drew" would make a post that everyone else can see.
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Nick 7:30AM (1/29/2007)
Well, add another quality issue to VW. Ethics.
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Richard Warren 12:55PM (1/29/2007)
No surprise here.
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