29. Volkswagen
Year: 2015
Approx. Amount: $35.25 billion in fines*
Company / Person Involved: Hanno Jelden
You can try to cheat the federal government, but, eventually, you will get caught. The Volkswagen emissions scandal, also known as Emissionsgate and Dieselgate (thanks, Nixon), began in the fall of 2015 after the EPA caught Volkswagen violating the Clean Air Act.
Volkswagen @volkswagen.karriere / Facebook.com
VW vehicles were equipped with computer software mechanisms known as “Defeat Devices.” These Defeat Devices would allow the diesel motor vehicles to cheat on their emissions tests, giving them a clean bill of health when, in reality, they were over the line for pollutant emissions. Volkswagen has said that the scandal has cost them $35.25 billion in fines and penalties.