Former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler Released From Custody

Former Audi chief executive Rupert Stadler has been released from custody, a Munich court confirmed today to Reuters.

No details have been given for why Stadler has been released as he is still under investigation from Munich prosecutors for suspected fraud and false advertising related to the Volkswagen diesel emissions cheating scandal.

Stadler was arrested in mid-June after his apartment was raided by Munich prosecutors. No formal charges have been made against him but prosecutors decided to detain him as they thought he could obstruct ongoing investigations into dieselgate. He remains the most senior executive from the Volkswagen Group to be arrested in relation to the scandal.

Earlier this month, the supervisory boards of the VW Group and Audi revealed that their contracts with Stadler had been terminated due to his ongoing pre-trial detention. It was also asserted that Stadler agreed to have his contracts terminated.

While Audi appointed a new chief executive shortly after Stadler’s arrested, the German carmaker had a difficult time in determining whether Stadler’s official title should be removed.

“Do you do something for the optics or do you do something for justice or for the truth? That’s the tricky bit. To what do you give preference — the good headline and the optics, or fairness and justice?” senior Volkswagen executive and supervisory board member of Audi, Hiltruyd Werner, said at the time.

Immediately following Stadler’s arrest, Audi insisted that he must be presumed innocent until proven guilty. It remains to be seen how long investigations will be ongoing.