Ex-German MP sentenced in VW corruption scandal

WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) - A former Volkswagen labour leader and Social Democrat member of parliament was found guilty on Thursday of perjury by denying he paid for prostitutes with company funds.

Hans-Juergen Uhl confessed to the prosecutor's charges and was found guilty on five counts of perjury and two counts of aiding and abetting fraud. He must pay 39,200 euros (26,483 pounds) in fines, the court in VW's home town of Wolfsburg ruled.

His case was one of several involving high-ranking VW managers and labour leaders accused of conspiring to bilk the company of funds to pay for elaborate sex trips as part of a institutionalised system of bribery put in place under VW's former personnel boss, Peter Hartz.

Hartz in January got a two-year suspended sentence and a fine of 576,000 euros.

In falsifying sworn statements under oath Uhl said he was "trying to prevent press reports" about the affair from being published.