Legal proceedings

In September 2015, a civil lawsuit was filed in Brazil against Volkswagen alleging that the company collaborated with the military dictatorship that governed Brazil from 1964 to 1985, and that former employees were blacklisted and tortured. 

In September 2020, Volkswagen announced it had signed a settlement agreement with Brazilian state and federal prosecutors, including payment of 36 million reais (£5.1 million) in compensation and donations to atone for the persecution of former employees during Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship.

Volkswagen said in its statement that while the investigation found cooperation between its Brazilian security agents and the military regime, there was no clear evidence that cooperation was institutionalized in the company.