- Title: File of Nissan's former boss Carlos Ghosn who has left Japan
- Date: 30th December 2019
- Summary: MAUBEUGE, FRANCE (FILE - NOVEMBER 8, 2018) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GHOSN TALKING TO RENAULT COO, THIERRY BOLLORE, AND PRESIDENT OF HAUTS DE FRANCE REGION, XAVIER BERTRAND GHOSN, FRENCH FINANCE MINISTER, BRUNO LE MAIRE, AND MACRON POSING WITH WORKERS Carlos Ghosn declared he was innocent in his first court appearance since his arrest, telling the judge that he was wrongly accused of financial misconduct. Ghosn remains in the tower-like Tokyo Detention Centre after his bail requests were denied. He was arrested on November 19 and faces allegations that he misstated his salary and transferred personal financial losses to Nissan's books. TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - JANUARY 8, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF TOKYO DISTRICT COURT, WHERE GHOSN ATTENDED HEARING VARIOUS OF BUS BELIEVED TO BE CARRYING GHOSN LEAVING COURT SIGN READING (Japanese) "TOKYO DETENTION CENTRE" VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF DETENTION CENTRE Ousted Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn was released from jail after posting $9 million in bail, giving the executive fresh impetus to craft his defense against financial misconduct charges in Japan. He was wearing a workman's uniform, face mask, blue cap and glasses when he slipped out of the Tokyo Detention House and got into a minicar unrecognized by many of the journalists and TV crews camped outside the facility. The former titan of the global auto industry had been confined to a small, unheated room in the detention center for more than 100 days since he was arrested on Nov. 19 on charges Ghosn has described as "meritless." TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - MARCH 6, 2019) (REUTERS) FORMER NISSAN CHAIRMAN CARLOS GHOSN (SECOND PERSON WEARING BLUE CAP, REFLECTIVE VEST STRAPS AND WHITE MASK) WALKING OUT OF TOKYO DETENTION CENTRE SURROUNDED BY SECURITY
- Embargoed: 13th January 2020 21:46
- Keywords: Carlos Ghosn Nissan Motor Renault file financial misconduct indicted results
- Location: TOKYO, YOKOHAMA, JAPAN / MAUBEUGE, PARIS, DIEPPE, FRANCE
- City: TOKYO, YOKOHAMA, JAPAN / MAUBEUGE, PARIS, DIEPPE, FRANCE
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA005BC6R9S7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THREE OF THE FOUR STILL PHOTOGRAPHS AT THE END OF THE ORIGINAL EDIT HAVE BEEN REMOVED DUE TO COPYRIGHT ISSUES. THE ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR WHICH CAN BE USED IS NOW IN SHOT NUMBER 36.
THE PHOTOS WHICH CANNOT BE USED ARE PHOTOS DATED MAY 23, 2019 IN THE ORIGINAL EDIT WHICH SHOW GHOSN ARRIVING AT THE TOKYO DISTRICT COURT AND ONE OF THE TWO PHOTOS FROM APRIL 25, 2019 OF GHOSN DEPARTING THE TOKYO DETENTION CENTRE.
PLEASE MAKE NO FURTHER USE OF THESE THREE PHOTOS AND ONLY USE THOSE IN THE REVISED EDIT.
Ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn confirmed he fled to Lebanon on Monday (December 30), saying he wouldn't be "held hostage" by a "rigged" justice system and raising questions about how one of the world's most-recognized executives escaped Japan months before his trial.
It was not immediately clear how Ghosn, who holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship, was able to orchestrate his departure from Japan, given that he had been under strict surveillance by authorities while out on bail and had surrendered his passports.
Japanese immigration authorities had no record of Ghosn leaving the country, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said. A person resembling Ghosn entered Beirut international airport under a different name after flying in aboard a private jet, NHK reported, citing an unidentified Lebanese security official.
His lawyers were still in possession of his three passports, one of his lawyers, Junichiro Hironaka, told reporters in comments broadcast live by NHK.
On Nov. 19, 2018, Ghosn was arrested shortly after his private jet touched down at a Tokyo airport. He faces four charges - which he denies - including hiding income and enriching himself through payments to dealerships in the Middle East.
Nissan sacked Ghosn, saying its internal investigations revealed misconduct ranging from understating his salary while he was its chief executive, and transferring $5 million of Nissan funds to an account in which he had an interest.
Ghosn's lawyers have asked a court to dismiss all charges against him. They accuse prosecutors of colluding with government officials and Nissan executives to oust him to block any takeover of the automaker by French alliance partner Renault, of which Ghosn was also chairman.
After his arrest, Ghosn spent a long period in detention, but more recently was allowed out, subject to stringent bail conditions, which required him to stay in Japan.
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