VIENNA -- Two companies and their bosses are under investigation in Austria for suspected serious fraud, environmental offenses and financial crimes in relation to the Volkswagen emissions scandal.
Investigations have been taking place for several months and are likely to continue for years, the WKStA economic and corruption prosecutors' office said, declining to name the companies or individuals involved.
European anti-fraud office OLAF said on Tuesday it had sent its judicial recommendations to German prosecutors regarding its investigation into whether VW used EU funds and European Investment Bank loans to develop devices that cheated emission tests.
VW was plunged into the biggest business crisis in its 80-year history when the diesel cheating scandal was exposed in September 2015. It has cost the company more than $25 billion in fines, compensation and vehicle refits.
