So instead of fining the company out of existence, they're putting a random engineer in prison?
VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
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Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#72In these comments: A bunch of people who clearly didn't read the article.
Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is already such incentives for companies defrauding the government [1] : "Qui tam" where the whistleblower can receive "between 15% and 25% of any award or settlement amount" on cases like this seems to be a pretty huge incentive. Look at the "Example" section in [1]: - 2009 : [...] was awarded $51.5 million for his role as a whistleblower 102 million that was distributed between the six whistleblowers [...] wh…
seems little for a lifetime of unemployment
For comparison, average lifetime earnings in the US for someone with a degree are $1.8 million.
Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#74I wonder if he could win a civil suit against VW and their role in coercing him down this road.
Doubtful. He made his decisions as an adult, fully aware of what was right/legal - he could have refused but chose not to.
True, they did make a choice. The nuance I'm interested in is whether a person in this situation would reasonably assume they would lose their job, or promotion opportunities, etc, if they didn't do the illegal task as asked. And if so, does that create a civil liability?
Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your cynicism apparently outweighs your reading skills: Quoting directly FTA: "U.S. prosecutors have charged eight current and former Volkswagen executives in connection with the diesel emissions cheating probe. Liang is one of the lowest-ranking executives charged so far. Another VW executive, Oliver Schmidt, has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in Detroit on Dec. 6. Under a plea agreement, Schmidt co…
The article flatly says that this person an executive and that several other executives were charged. This thread is fulling of people who didn't read a tiny well written article.
I wouldn't say it's a well written article, it's confusing and ambiguous regarding the sentenced individual's role and position in the company. That makes all the difference between this being a slap on the wrist or a more meaningful reprimand.
Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#76Corporations aren't democracies, closer to tyrannies (Chomsky). You refuse work, look for new one... Waiting for his boss to get 400 months, and 10x until CEO level. They killed people ffs.
>They killed people ffs You say that as though they shot them or discussed the possible body count in a meeting. Sure, people died as a far downstream result of a bunch of cars polluting a lot more than they supposedly did. The effect is far enough downstream that it's not really relevant. The alternative to VW breaking the law was not a pollution free world. People die as a result of things that are technically prev…
>Sure, people died as a far downstream result of a bunch of cars polluting a lot more than they supposedly did
Breaking antipollution rules was pretty close upstream. Say boss wants to dumps cyanide into water supply, asks you to switch samples used for testing. Close enough for me to blow whistle.
It's pretty well known NOx shorten our lives (NOx + H20 = nitric acids in lungs)
>a bunch of cars polluting a lot more than they supposedly did 40x in NOx
They knew and pushed us into them (anyone else advertised diesel?) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNS2nvkjARk
Lastly it's the particles Pm2.5 Pm10. Especially dangerous to children
Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#77So instead of fining the company out of existence, they're putting a random engineer in prison?
Because crimes against the environment are a capital crime. Death to everyone that works there and their families, right?
Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#78How do we the title changed so it says this guy was an executive? At the time I write this post many comments are claiming the execs will go free and this guy just took a fall. The article clearly says this guy was a low ranking executive, other executive were charged and this guy plead guilty, implying he rolled on them (but not stating that).
The article does not make that obvious -- it only mentions that Liang was an executive in the third-to-last paragraph, after referring to him as a "former engineer".
It's also possible that Liang was an engineer at the time of the crime, and then was moved to an executive position:
> Liang is still employed by Volkswagen but no longer works as an engineer.
Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#79Note to engineers: managers will throw you under the bus as they see fit.
If you don't have the time to read the actual article, read the other comments - the managers are also facing jail-time. Also, this guy wasn't a regular engineer, he's also an executive, the title is misleading.
That's an interesting definition of "executive". I guess journalism these days can make an exec out of anyone - can't wait to read about e.g. a toilet cleaning executive.
Re: VW engineering executive sentenced to 40-month prison term in diesel case
#80So instead of fining the company out of existence, they're putting a random engineer in prison?
VW has agreed to pay out up to $25 billion in buybacks and fines.