misleading title, they dropped one charge in favor of another

Dirty Money is a great TV series where the first episode went in-depth on the emissions scandal: https://www.netflix.com/title/80118100

The execs involved here have so much egg on their face.

Highly misleading. Winterkorn has been accused of two crimes (market manipulation and fraud). In Germany if you are guilty of several crimes the sentences do not simply get added on top of each other, instead there is a "Gesamtstrafe" (One punishment for all crimes committed). That's why they discontinued the case on these charges because they are far less important than the fraud charges and won't change the outcome in a significant way.

> The court said it had decided to discontinue the proceedings as the expected sentence in another case, in which Winterkorn faces charges for his role in allowing diesel cars with excessive pollution levels to hit the road, was higher.

> “In this context, the conviction for market manipulation would not lead to a significant increase in the overall sentence,” the court said in a statement.

I understand that all things are limited, court time, lawyers, attention, etc... But really, if he did the crime, why should he get off on that count?

Another case of unequal justice, aka injustice.

Clickbait title