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Carlos Ghosn’s Escape: What We Know Carlos Ghosn’s Escape: What We Know
(2 days later)
A onetime titan of the automotive industry becomes a fugitive from the law, fleeing across the globe to escape what he called “injustice and political prosecution.”A onetime titan of the automotive industry becomes a fugitive from the law, fleeing across the globe to escape what he called “injustice and political prosecution.”
Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan chairman, was arrested in Japan in late 2018 and charged with financial misconduct. On Monday, he appeared in Lebanon, with a jarring announcement that he had evaded the authorities in Tokyo.Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan chairman, was arrested in Japan in late 2018 and charged with financial misconduct. On Monday, he appeared in Lebanon, with a jarring announcement that he had evaded the authorities in Tokyo.
The escape is the latest episode in a twisting tale, and Mr. Ghosn has promised he will speak further about his plans. For now, though, even as authorities react to the flight with raids and arrests, there are more questions than answers about how it happened. The escape is the latest episode in a twisting tale, and Mr. Ghosn has promised he will speak further about his plans. For now, though, even as the authorities react to the flight with raids and arrests, there are more questions than answers about how it happened.
Much about Mr. Ghosn’s cinematic flight remains shrouded in mystery, including how he was able to escape surveillance in Japan, how he arranged his flights to Lebanon and whether he was helped by any other countries. Mr. Ghosn, 65, was once the epitome of the world-straddling corporate executive. He ran a global car empire as the architect and chief of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi automaking alliance. By slashing costs and creating efficiencies, Renault of France and Nissan of Japan prospered. He became a celebrity in Japan, even inspiring a manga comic book.
Mr. Ghosn reportedly took a corporate jet from Osaka to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, and then switched planes and flew to Beirut, Lebanon, and on Thursday, authorities in Turkey were questioning seven people — including four pilots and airport ground workers — in connection with Mr. Ghosn’s escape, according to local media reports.
On Thursday, Lebanese justice minister said that the public prosecutor had received a “red notice” from Interpol related to Mr. Ghosn’s case, according to the state-run National News Agency. The red notice is akin to a wanted poster and is not an arrest warrant.
In Japan, prosecutors raided Mr. Ghosn’s house in an exclusive neighborhood of central Tokyo. After about four hours, they carried out heavy black briefcases, ignoring reporters’ questions.
Mr. Ghosn, who has not appeared in public since he arrived in Lebanon, issued a statement Thursday that seemed aimed to protect his family from any legal jeopardy.
“There has been speculation in the media that my wife Carole, and other members of my family played a role in my departure from Japan,” the statement said. “All such speculation is inaccurate and false. I alone arranged for my departure. My family had no role whatsoever.”
Mr. Ghosn, 65, was once the epitome of the world-straddling corporate executive. He ran a global car empire as the architect and chief of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi auto-making alliance. By slashing costs and creating efficiencies, Renault of France and Nissan of Japan prospered. He became a celebrity in Japan, even inspiring a manga comic book.
Then, in November 2018, he was taken into custody in Tokyo and accused of understating his income to the financial authorities. He had been in Japan since then, either held in a cell or out on bail, awaiting trial in 2020.Then, in November 2018, he was taken into custody in Tokyo and accused of understating his income to the financial authorities. He had been in Japan since then, either held in a cell or out on bail, awaiting trial in 2020.
He has denied wrongdoing and said he was the victim of an internal coup by executives at Nissan who feared that he would bind the Japanese company too closely with Renault.He has denied wrongdoing and said he was the victim of an internal coup by executives at Nissan who feared that he would bind the Japanese company too closely with Renault.
Born in Brazil to Lebanese parents and raised in Lebanon, Mr. Ghosn attended some of France’s best schools, the Lycée Saint-Louis and the École Polytechnique. He started his career at the tire maker Michelin, worked on his English and became head of the company’s North American operations. He lived in Greenville, S.C., before joining Renault as an executive in 1996.Born in Brazil to Lebanese parents and raised in Lebanon, Mr. Ghosn attended some of France’s best schools, the Lycée Saint-Louis and the École Polytechnique. He started his career at the tire maker Michelin, worked on his English and became head of the company’s North American operations. He lived in Greenville, S.C., before joining Renault as an executive in 1996.
He had homes in Paris, Amsterdam, Beirut and Rio de Janeiro; invested in art and wineries, and flew around the world on a corporate jet. Critics said his salaries were exorbitant, especially after the financial crisis of 2008, and denounced his taste for the good life. In 2016, he held a lavish Marie Antoinette-themed party at Versailles to celebrate his second marriage and his new wife’s 50th birthday — an event that may have been financed with Renault corporate money, the company said in February. He had homes in Paris, Amsterdam, Beirut and Rio de Janeiro; invested in art and wineries; and flew around the world on a corporate jet. Critics said his salaries were exorbitant, especially after the financial crisis of 2008, and denounced his taste for the good life. In 2016, he held a lavish Marie Antoinette-themed party at Versailles to celebrate his second marriage and his new wife’s 50th birthday — an event that may have been financed with Renault corporate money, the company said in February.
Japanese prosecutors have indicted him with financial wrongdoing, including underreporting his compensation and temporarily shifting his personal financial losses onto Nissan’s books. Prosecutors have also charged Nissan and a board member, Greg Kelly, who is a United States citizen. Mr. Kelly was released from jail a year ago because he was having health problems, and is still in Tokyo, his lawyer said. Mr. Kelly also denies wrongdoing Japanese prosecutors have accused him of financial wrongdoing, including underreporting his compensation and temporarily shifting his personal financial losses onto Nissan’s books. Prosecutors have also charged Nissan and a board member, Greg Kelly, who is a United States citizen. Mr. Kelly was released from jail a year ago because he was having health problems, and is still in Tokyo, his lawyer said. Mr. Kelly also denies wrongdoing
A picture of Mr. Ghosn’s escape from Japan has begun to emerge, and if the new reports are right, it may have been less dramatic than first reported. Details of Mr. Ghosn’s escape from Japan have begun to emerge though many specifics remain murky and unconfirmed.
On Friday, the Japanese news media reported that surveillance camera footage showed the disgraced auto industry mogul leaving his Tokyo home on Sunday by himself, a story that contradicts early reports that he escaped in a box. Also on Friday, a Turkish charter jet company said its planes were used illegally to pull off the plan. Mr. Ghosn was aided in his escape by an American security consultant who accompanied him on the flight out of the country, a person familiar with the matter told The New York Times on Friday, while a Turkish charter jet company said that its planes were used illegally to pull off the plan.
Still, most of the details of Mr. Ghosn’s getaway remain murky and unconfirmed. The authorities in Japan and Turkey still appear to be investigating how he did it. The news accounts of Mr. Ghosn’s flight match the records of a Bombardier business aircraft operated by MNG Jet that took off from Osaka just after 11 p.m. local time and landed in Istanbul about 12 hours later, according to data from FlightAware, a flight tracking service.
Among the details that have to be resolved is what passport Mr. Ghosn used. His three passports — from France, Lebanon and Brazil — were seized upon his arrest in Japan, and as a condition of his bail were held by his lawyers. The lawyers said on Tuesday that they still had his passports. MNG Jet said it had no indication the two flights were connected. It said that it filed a criminal complaint in Turkey on Wednesday and that it “hopes that the people who illegally used and/or facilitated the use of the services of the company will be duly prosecuted.”
Since Mr. Ghosn’s escape, media reports have swirled that he had been spirited out inside a box meant for musical equipment, and over the weekend, Sabah, a pro-government newspaper in Istanbul, reported that investigators examining the plane used for the Osaka-to-Istanbul flight found two large boxes onboard. Both bear the name of Penn Elcom, a manufacturer of shipping cases, crates and speaker cabinet hardware.
The Japanese news media also reported on Friday that surveillance camera footage showed the former auto industry mogul leaving his Tokyo home by himself on Sunday, a day before he turned up in Beirut.
And on Sunday, Japan’s justice minister said the authorities there had not found a record that he left Japan, saying it meant “he may have left the country using illegal measures.”
As his career took off elsewhere, Mr. Ghosn maintained close ties to the country. He has stayed in a salmon-colored mansion on a tree-lined street that was purchased for $8.75 million. An internal Nissan investigation found that a company investment vehicle bought the house; Mr. Ghosn’s family has said the company had long been aware of the purchase.As his career took off elsewhere, Mr. Ghosn maintained close ties to the country. He has stayed in a salmon-colored mansion on a tree-lined street that was purchased for $8.75 million. An internal Nissan investigation found that a company investment vehicle bought the house; Mr. Ghosn’s family has said the company had long been aware of the purchase.
Lebanon also offers legal protections, since Mr. Ghosn would be legally protected from extradition to Japan.
Mr. Ghosn may be able to evade prosecution in Lebanon, which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan, but his travel outside the country would be restricted.Mr. Ghosn may be able to evade prosecution in Lebanon, which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan, but his travel outside the country would be restricted.
Mr. Ghosn is a citizen of Lebanon, grew up there and has business interests in the area. Mr. Ghosn is a citizen of Lebanon and has business interests in the area.
Once in Beirut, Mr. Ghosn met Lebanon’s president, Michel Aoun, and spoke to him about his legal issues, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting who requested anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss it. Mr. Aoun has denied the meeting.Once in Beirut, Mr. Ghosn met Lebanon’s president, Michel Aoun, and spoke to him about his legal issues, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting who requested anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss it. Mr. Aoun has denied the meeting.
French authorities on Thursday also said that they would not extradite Mr. Ghosn if he came to France. The former auto executive is a citizen of France, and “France never extradites its nationals,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, a junior economy minister. French authorities on Thursday also said that they would not extradite Mr. Ghosn if he came to France. The former auto executive is a French citizen, and “France never extradites its nationals,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, a junior economy minister.
Much about Mr. Ghosn’s cinematic flight remains shrouded in mystery, including how he was able to escape surveillance in Japan, how he arranged his flights to Lebanon and whether he was helped by any other countries.
Mr. Ghosn reportedly took a corporate jet from Osaka to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, and then switched planes and flew to Beirut, Lebanon, and, on Friday, Turkish media reported that five people — four pilots and MNG Jet’s operations manager — were sent to pretrial detention by a Turkish court, according to local media reports.
On Thursday, the Lebanese justice minister said that the public prosecutor had received a “red notice” from Interpol related to Mr. Ghosn’s case, according to the state-run National News Agency. The red notice is akin to a wanted poster and is not an arrest warrant.
In Japan, prosecutors raided Mr. Ghosn’s house in an exclusive neighborhood of central Tokyo. After about four hours, they carried out heavy black briefcases, ignoring reporters’ questions.
Mr. Ghosn, who has not appeared in public since he arrived in Lebanon, issued a statement on Thursday that seemed aimed to protect his family from legal jeopardy.
“There has been speculation in the media that my wife, Carole, and other members of my family played a role in my departure from Japan,” the statement said. “All such speculation is inaccurate and false. I alone arranged for my departure. My family had no role whatsoever.”
Mr. Ghosn has accused the courts and prosecutors in Japan of treating him unfairly. After he was taken into custody, he was held for more than 100 days in a small cell before bail was granted. He was later rearrested — the authorities burst into his house, according to Carole Ghosn, his wife — to face further charges, and would later make bail again.Mr. Ghosn has accused the courts and prosecutors in Japan of treating him unfairly. After he was taken into custody, he was held for more than 100 days in a small cell before bail was granted. He was later rearrested — the authorities burst into his house, according to Carole Ghosn, his wife — to face further charges, and would later make bail again.
The former executive has criticized what he called unnecessarily harsh tactics, like forbidding communication between him and his wife. (Prosecutors said the two could conspire to destroy evidence.) And he says the courts have unfairly barred his lawyers from looking at Nissan documents that could help him prove his case.The former executive has criticized what he called unnecessarily harsh tactics, like forbidding communication between him and his wife. (Prosecutors said the two could conspire to destroy evidence.) And he says the courts have unfairly barred his lawyers from looking at Nissan documents that could help him prove his case.
Japanese officials on Sunday defended the country’s justice system, saying he would have received a fair and open trial there.
Ben Dooley, Ben Hubbard, Elian Peltier and Amie Tsang contributed reporting.Ben Dooley, Ben Hubbard, Elian Peltier and Amie Tsang contributed reporting.