Oliver Schmidt (engineer)
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Oliver Schmidt | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 9, 1969 |
| Alma mater | Leibniz University of Hannover (Diploma) |
| Occupations | Engineer, former business executive |
| Criminal status | Inmate 09786-104; released from FCI Milan in September 2020; transferred to German custody where he was ultimately released in January 2021 |
| Spouse |
Kerstin Gerdes
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 2 |
| Conviction | December 6, 2017 |
| Criminal penalty | 84 months (7 years) imprisonment, $400,000 fine and deportation to Germany |
Date apprehended | January 11, 2017 |
| Imprisoned at | Federal Correctional Institution, Milan, Milan, Michigan, U.S. |
Oliver Schmidt (born January 9, 1969)[1][2] is a German engineer and former senior executive for Volkswagen in Germany and the United States. In December 2017, Schmidt was sentenced to 84 months (7 years) in federal prison for his role in the Volkswagen emissions scandal.[3] He was the second German national, after James Robert Liang, to be convicted and sees himself as pawn sacrifice in the entire case.[4][5]
Schmidt was born January 9, 1969, in Stadthagen, Lower Saxony then West Germany to Dieter and Elke Schmidt.[6][7] His father worked for a software company and enjoyed mechanically working on cars, therefore Schmidt was basically growing-up with up to 26 different cars his father has owned throughout his lifetime.[8] After completing his Abitur, he studied mechanical engineering at the Leibniz University of Hannover in Hannover, Germany.[9][10]
Career
Since 1997, Schmidt was employed with Volkswagen in Wolfsburg.[11] At the age of 35, Schmidt was transferred to the United States, where he from 2012 oversaw VW's emissions office in Michigan.[11][12]
As of March 2022, Schmidt is employed in a CNC-Engineering company of a friend, which primarily manufactures auto parts.[13]
