Volkswagen must pay US$15 billion for emissions fraud in the US.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Volkswagen's settlement with nearly 500 consumers and authorities in the United States over the emissions fraud scandal involving diesel vehicles is expected to cost more than $15 billion, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The agreement, to be announced Tuesday in Washington, includes a $10,033 billion buyback offer for approximately 475 vehicles and nearly $5 billion in funds to offset excessive diesel emissions and boost investment in zero-emission vehicles, the sources said.

A separate settlement with nearly all U.S. state prosecutors over the excess emissions discovered will also be announced on Tuesday and is expected to cost more than $500 million, bringing the scandal's bill to more than $15 billion, another source said.

Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Volkswagen did not comment on the matter.

The agreement stems from the German automaker's admission last September that it had cheated on emissions tests for diesel vehicles by incorporating software into the cars that masked emissions up to 40 times higher than the limits set by US law.

But the group's problems don't end in the US, as criminal and civil actions are pending in other countries. Meanwhile, European Union governments are demanding that Volkswagen offer similar compensation to the owners of 8,5 million fraudulent vehicles in the region, which could cause the costs of the scandal to grow even further for the German group.

One source stated that owners of Volkswagen cars with 2.0 diesel engines manufactured between 2009 and 2015 will receive at least $5.100 in compensation, along with the estimated value of the vehicles up to September 2015, before the scandal broke. Some owners will receive up to $10 in compensation, the source said, depending on the vehicle's value.

(By David Shepardson)