Volkswagen executive pleads guilty in US diesel emissions case

Broward Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images

In this handout provided by the Broward Sheriff’s Office, suspect Oliver Schmidt, an executive for Volkswagen poses in this undated booking photo.

Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Detroit in a diesel emissions scandal involving the German automaker.

Under a plea agreement, Schmidt is expected to face up to seven years in prison and a fine of between $40,000 and $400,000 after admitting to conspiring to mislead U.S regulators and violating clean air laws.

In March, Volkswagen pleaded guilty to three felony counts under a plea agreement to resolve U.S. charges it installed secret software in vehicles to evade emissions tests and agreed to spend up to $25 billion to resolve various claims.