Εarlier this week, prosecutors in Germany raided the offices of Porsche in Stuttgart as part of a corruption probe.
German news outlet DW reports local authorities suspect that an auditor working for the German government was bribed into passing information to the car manufacturer’s tax advisor.
Prosecutors released a statement shortly after the raid stating that six Porsche employees, including some in “leadership positions,” risk being charged with breach of trust.
Private homes in the German areas of Pforzheim and Karlsruhe were also raided following the discovery that an ex-member of the Porsche workers’ council received an unusually high compensation.
The company announced that it is “cooperating fully with the authorities.”
Also Read: Former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn Charged With Fraud, Could Face 10 Years In Prison For Dieselgate
Porsche’s management has been unable to escape headlines in recent years ever since the dieselgate scandal emerged and all hell broke loose. Earlier this month, they were ordered to pay a $598 million fine for their role in the diesel emissions cheating shebang.
Demand for diesel vehicles from Porsche dropped significantly in the wake of dieselgate, prompting the company to ebentually stop building diesel vehicles last year and focus exclusively on petrol, electric, and hybrid powertrains.
The most important new vehicle being developed by Porsche is the all-electric Taycan. Set to be unveiled in production guise at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, the Taycan will be a direct rival to the Tesla Model S and sold in a number of configurations, including in range-topping ‘Turbo’ spec. This model will pump out in excess of 600 hp and should rocket to 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill in the low-3 second range.
