Former VW boss in tax evasion allegation
MARTIN WINTERKORN, the embattled former Volkswagen chief executive at the centre of the “dieselgate” emissions scandal, was yesterday facing new allegations of tax evasion.
The former CEO is under investigation in Germany on suspicion of secreting more than €10m (£8.9m) in Swiss bank accounts in an attempt to evade tax, according to claims in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. Mr Winterkorn denied any wrongdoing in a statement from his lawyer and said the money involved was “free from any tax liability”.
He is already facing a criminal investigation in Germany over his role in the emissions rigging scandal at VW. Prosecutors declined to comment on the latest claims.
Mr Winterkorn also faces criminal charges and a warrant for his arrest in the US over dieselgate, although he is unlikely to face trial there as Germany does not extradite its citizens.
The latest investigation centres on transfers of more than €10m Mr Winterkorn made to a Munich-based tax adviser, according to Bild am Sonntag. The accountant then transferred the money to a Swiss bank account.
“Mr Winterkorn is at liberty to do what he likes with his assets. It’s up to him how he manages his assets. According to the evaluation of Mr Winterkorn’s tax adviser, this procedure is free from any tax liability,” the former CEO’S lawyer said in a statement.