'The Great Escape of the Century'... Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn's First Investigation After Escaping Japan

▲Carlos Ghosn, former Nissan Motor Chairman [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Carlos Ghosn, former Nissan chairman who was under investigation for embezzlement and violations of financial transaction laws, secretly fled Japan and escaped to Lebanon. He is set to be questioned by French authorities next week.

According to the Associated Press on the 26th (local time), Ghosn, currently residing in Lebanon, has agreed to cooperate with French investigators locally next week.

This will be the first formal investigation Ghosn has participated in since his escape from Japan in 2019.

He faces charges in Japan, where he served as Nissan chairman, including violations of financial instruments and exchange laws through underreporting his compensation and special breach of trust.

In France, his assets worth 13 million euros (approximately 17.7 billion KRW) have been seized on tax evasion charges.

French authorities are investigating the legality of expenses related to a lavish party held at the Palace of Versailles, 11 million euros (approximately 15 billion KRW) spent on private jet leases and various event costs through a Dutch holding company he established, and subsidies paid to Omani car dealers.

Ghosn, who has denied all these allegations, is actively engaging with international media such as CNN, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), and the Associated Press ahead of his first voluntary investigation, asserting his innocence.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

In an interview with the Associated Press, he stated, "There has been a lot of damage. But I do not believe I am responsible for it," adding, "Those who should be held accountable are the ones who conspired."

He reiterated his previous claim that the charges that brought him down were all conspiracies by Nissan executives and managers.

He also said, "In Japan, the investigation was conducted by Japanese officials, and I had to sign documents in Japanese, which I did not understand," adding, "Now I can be investigated in French with my lawyer present." He further expressed, "I trust the French judicial system much more than Japan's."

Listed on Interpol's wanted list, he currently resides in Beirut, Lebanon's capital, where he lectures at a university, assists entrepreneurs, and prepares for lawsuits. He holds Brazilian, Lebanese, and French citizenships.

He also revealed that he spent six months repairing his house damaged by the Beirut explosion last August and, like many other Lebanese facing the worst foreign exchange crisis in history, is unable to withdraw or transfer a significant amount of dollars deposited in banks due to government restrictions.

Regarding reports that he hid inside a musical instrument case when escaping Japan, he remained tight-lipped, explaining that his statements might negatively affect those who helped him.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

However, despite living in seclusion, he has not lost the confident demeanor of his former executive days, reportedly traveling with bodyguards in a Nissan SUV, according to the Associated Press.

Ghosn described his fall from a successful executive to a fugitive as "It feels like a heart attack somewhere or getting hit by a bus," adding, "Life changes." He continued, "Suddenly, you face a completely different reality, and you have to adapt."

Meanwhile, Ghosn was arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation division in November 2018 on charges of underreporting his compensation, violating financial instruments and exchange laws, and was released on bail of 1 billion yen (approximately 10.5 billion KRW) in March 2019.

A month later, Japanese prosecutors re-arrested him on charges of special breach of trust. He was again released on bail of 500 million yen (approximately 5.2 billion KRW).

While maintaining his innocence and under travel restrictions, Ghosn fled Japan at the end of December 2019, departing from Osaka on a private jet, transferring in Istanbul, Turkey, and escaping to Beirut, Lebanon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.