March 10 (UPI) -- Volkswagen AG on Friday pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges involving rigging several hundred thousand diesel cars to cheat U.S. emission standards, and agreed to pay a $2.8 billion criminal fine and $1.5 billion civil penalty.
In U.S. District Court in Detroit, the German automaker pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act, committing wire fraud, obstructing justice and violating import laws.