Volkswagen Faces Lawsuit Over Allegations of Slave Labor in Brazil

Brazilian prosecutors claim workers endured abusive conditions on a company-linked farm in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Brazilian labor prosecutor's office has filed a civil lawsuit against Volkswagen do Brasil, seeking 165 million Reais (approximately 26 million Euros) in damages.
The allegations involve the Fazenda Volkswagen, a farm in the Amazon region operated by a Volkswagen subsidiary during the 1970s and 1980s.
Prosecutors claim workers on the farm were subjected to conditions resembling modern slavery, including debt bondage, armed guards restricting movement, and degrading treatment.
Volkswagen do Brasil has denied the allegations in the past, describing them as one-sided, and an attempt at an out-of-court settlement failed in March 2023.
The farm, established during Brazil's military dictatorship, was part of Volkswagen's effort to enter the meat industry and employed around 300 workers at its peak.