German prosecutors say investigating former Volkswagen chief for fraud

Frankfurt: On suspicion of fraud over the firm's "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal, German prosecutors on Friday said that former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn is under investigation.

Investigators say they have "sufficient indications" that Winterkorn may have known earlier than he has so far admitted about the cheating, adding his and 15 other names to a growing list of people facing probes for fraud and false advertising.

Winterkorn is already under investigation for suspected market manipulation related to the scandal.

The new evidence comes from "questioning of witnesses and suspects and the examination of confiscated computer files," the prosecutor's office in the north German city of Brunswick said in a statement.

With the 16 names added today, there are now a total of 37 people under investigation.

Prosecutors added that they have this week searched 28 homes and offices linked to the new names on the list, and will take several weeks to evaluate the materials they seized.

Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 to installing so-called "defeat devices" in 11 million vehicles worldwide, after their existence was revealed by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The software caused engines to reduce emissions of harmful nitrogen oxide when they were undergoing regulators' tests.

With AFP Inputs