VW may take legal action against former boss Martin Winterkorn
Former Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn could be facing legal action from his own company over his part in the dieselgate scandal.
Winterkorn was recently charged by US authorities over the Volkswagen emissions scandal, or dieselgate in 2015.
VW were found to have cheated emissions testing by programming its cars to only activate emissions controls during laboratory testing to allow them to meet US standards, when their cars actually emitted up to 40 times more nitrogen oxides in real-world driving.
Read more: Ex-VW boss Winterkorn charged in US over dieselgate
Speaking to German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, VW supervisory board member Stephan Weil said the company may seek damages from its former chief executive.
"Damages against former management board members are under serious consideration, Im not just saying that," he said.
"Once we know the outcome of investigations, we will make a decision."
VW has claimed that only lower level managers knew of the emissions cheating.
Earlier this month, investigations into the scandal extended to VW's brand Audi, as it was revealed that chief executive Rupert Stadler was being investigated by German authorities for suspected fraud and false advertising due to his part in bringing cars with the rigged software to the European market.
He was arrested this week, prompting VW's supervisory board to suspend him.
Read more: Audi chief executive arrested as dieselgate heats up
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