VW CEO Is Said to Receive Rare Safe-Passage Deal From U.S.

• Pact struck after U.S. charges ex-CEO Winterkorn under seal • Agreement may signal U.S. anticipates no charges against Diess

Not long after U.S. authorities filed sealed charges against Volkswagen AG’s old chief executive officer, they granted the new CEO a rare safe-passage deal.

The Justice Department agreement allows Herbert Diess, promoted last month to lead the German automaker, to travel the world freely without fear of being arrested in connection with the U.S.’s diesel-rigging investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Diess also received a spoken assurance that he would be given advance notice should prosecutors seek to charge him ...