FRANKFURT, Germany — A German court convicted four former Volkswagen managers of fraud Monday and gave two of them prison sentences for their part in the manipulation of emissions controls, almost a decade after the scandal erupted over the company’s rigging of diesel-engine vehicles.

The former head of diesel development was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison, and the head of drive train electronics to 2 years and 7 months, German news agency dpa reported. Two others received suspended sentences of 15 months and 10 months.

The scandal began in September 2015 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the company had rigged engine control software that let the cars pass emissions tests while they emitted far more pollution in actual driving. — Associated Press