Volkswagen emission fraud settlement will provide state with more than $100 million

Consumers who bought or leased VW or Audi vehicles in the state may be eligible for compensation due to a $14.7 billion federal settlement addressing Volkswagen's emissions cheating.

“The compensation in this case is extraordinary, but so was the scale and brazenness of VW's violations,” Attorney General Mark R. Herring said Tuesday in a news release. “This settlement sends a clear message that we are on duty and on guard to defend the rights of Virginians when businesses try to lie, or cheat, or falsely market their products.”

The German automaker, whose North American headquarters are in Herndon, has acknowledged equipping certain vehicles with illegal and undisclosed software designed to skirt emissions laws. 

As part of the settlement, Virginia will receive more than $100 million and qualified Virginia VW owners will receive tens of millions more in direct compensation.

VW will fix affected vehicles, provide millions in compensation directly to the local owners of the more than 20,000 affected vehicles, compensate the state for violations of consumer protection laws, and establish a trust fund for use on projects to improve the environment by reducing air pollution in the transportation sector.

The affected vehicles include 2009 through 2015 Volkswagen TDI diesel models of Jettas, Passats, Golfs and Beetles as well as the TDI Audi A3. For more information, visit https://www.vwcourtsettlement.com.