Defense Seeks Acquittal In Volkswagen Bribery Trial

The former head of Volkswagen AG's powerful employee council, on trial in a scandal involving special bonus payments, deserves no more than a suspended sentence and fine if found guilty of incitement to breach of trust, his attorney said in closing arguments Monday.

Volkert is a key figure in an investigation revolving around whether VW employee representatives received illegal privileges, including lavish foreign trips involving prostitutes paid for by the company. The probe started after Volkswagen alerted prosecutors to possible wrongdoing.

In its closings last week, the prosecution recommended that Volkert, who headed the council for 15 years, be convicted on all counts and sentenced to three years and nine months in prison. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years.