Whistleblower or fall guy, take your pick:
“The test manipulations are a moral and political disaster for Volkswagen. The unlawful behaviour of engineers and technicians involved in engine development shocked Volkswagen just as much as it shocked the public. We can only apologise and ask our customers, the public, the authorities and our investors to give us a chance to make amends.”
Either way, you were fucked from the start, when the C-level came to you with this idea on the DL – no email if they had any sense, but it wouldn’t make any difference anyway. They can afford lawyers, you see. Cost of doing business. Martin Winterkorn will get his €60 million golden handshake, and you’ll be hung out to dry. Your choice always sucked, but you could have had honor.