A German court delivered a landmark verdict on Monday, convicting four former Volkswagen executives on fraud charges related to the “Dieselgate” emissions scandal, bringing a nearly four-year trial to a close.

The ruling marks a significant chapter in the global controversy that rocked the automotive industry and cost Volkswagen over €30 billion ($34 billion) in penalties, lawsuits, and settlements.

The Braunschweig Regional Court sentenced the former head of diesel engine development to four and a half years in prison and the former head of drive electronics to two years and seven months.

Two other defendants—a former Volkswagen brand development board member and a former department head—received suspended sentences of one year and three months and one year and ten months, respectively.

The Dieselgate scandal, which erupted in September 2015 after Volkswagen admitted to rigging emissions tests in the United States, plunged the Wolfsburg-based automaker into a financial and reputational crisis.

The company installed software in millions of diesel vehicles worldwide to manipulate emissions results, misleading regulators and consumers about the cars’ environmental impact.

Prosecutors had pushed for prison terms ranging from two to four years, with probation considered in only one case.

The defense, however, sought acquittals for three defendants and a warning for the fourth.

The trial, one of the largest in Volkswagen’s history, highlighted the systemic issues within the company’s leadership during the scandal.

Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, originally slated to stand trial alongside the executives, had his case postponed due to health concerns.

Winterkorn, 78, who resigned shortly after the scandal broke, has denied knowledge of the illegal software, despite prosecutors alleging he was aware of it as early as May 2014.

His trial remains on hold following a recent accident and hospitalization, leaving uncertainty about whether he will face court.