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| Carlos Ghosn, Mum on Tokyo Escape, Unleashes a Rambling Defense | Carlos Ghosn, Mum on Tokyo Escape, Unleashes a Rambling Defense |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| BEIRUT, Lebanon — It was part corporate presentation, part legal defense, part rambling tirade. | BEIRUT, Lebanon — It was part corporate presentation, part legal defense, part rambling tirade. |
| For more than two hours on Wednesday, Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan executive who fled house arrest in Japan and surfaced in Lebanon last month, launched an impassioned defense of his decision to escape, portraying himself as the victim of a rigged justice system and a corporate coup by disloyal underlings. | For more than two hours on Wednesday, Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan executive who fled house arrest in Japan and surfaced in Lebanon last month, launched an impassioned defense of his decision to escape, portraying himself as the victim of a rigged justice system and a corporate coup by disloyal underlings. |
| By the end of the day, sitting at a conference room table with his wife, Mr. Ghosn seemed less defiant than tired. In an interview with The New York Times, he acknowledged that he had regrets. The biggest: He wished he had retired before everything unraveled. | By the end of the day, sitting at a conference room table with his wife, Mr. Ghosn seemed less defiant than tired. In an interview with The New York Times, he acknowledged that he had regrets. The biggest: He wished he had retired before everything unraveled. |
| Mr. Ghosn, who led an auto empire that spanned continents, was arrested in late 2018 and charged with financial wrongdoing. The reporters who gathered to hear him speak at a Beirut news conference had hoped for an account of his daring international escape — a dash across Japan to a chartered jet that carried him out of the country. | |
| Instead, they were treated to a wide-ranging and sometimes hard-to-follow defense against the charges that Japanese prosecutors had leveled against him. He attacked the authorities in Tokyo as well as executives at Nissan. | Instead, they were treated to a wide-ranging and sometimes hard-to-follow defense against the charges that Japanese prosecutors had leveled against him. He attacked the authorities in Tokyo as well as executives at Nissan. |
| Japanese prosecutors responded on Wednesday with a statement issued soon after Mr. Ghosn’s conference ended, saying that he had been deemed a flight risk, which “is obvious from the fact that he actually fled and illegally departed from the country.”“His statements during his press conference today failed to justify his acts,” the Tokyo prosecutor’s office said. | Japanese prosecutors responded on Wednesday with a statement issued soon after Mr. Ghosn’s conference ended, saying that he had been deemed a flight risk, which “is obvious from the fact that he actually fled and illegally departed from the country.”“His statements during his press conference today failed to justify his acts,” the Tokyo prosecutor’s office said. |
| Mr. Ghosn, speaking in English, French and Arabic during the news conference, said he was the victim of “character assassination” and “political persecution.” | Mr. Ghosn, speaking in English, French and Arabic during the news conference, said he was the victim of “character assassination” and “political persecution.” |
| In the interview with The Times, Mr. Ghosn was mum on the details of his escape, except to say that “there is a lot of imagination” in some media accounts of his brazen flight. | In the interview with The Times, Mr. Ghosn was mum on the details of his escape, except to say that “there is a lot of imagination” in some media accounts of his brazen flight. |
| Mr. Ghosn expressed optimism about his future, including the odds that he will be welcomed back into elite company. Since his arrival in Lebanon, he said, a number of prominent organizations, including an Ivy League university, have courted him for possible speaking engagements. | |
| “A lot of people want to get in contact with me,” he said. | “A lot of people want to get in contact with me,” he said. |
| Below are highlights of Mr. Ghosn’s first day speaking to the press about his arrest and escape: | Below are highlights of Mr. Ghosn’s first day speaking to the press about his arrest and escape: |
| As an international fugitive, Mr. Ghosn faces an uncertain future. He is intent on clearing his name, but it is unclear what legal route he could take. | As an international fugitive, Mr. Ghosn faces an uncertain future. He is intent on clearing his name, but it is unclear what legal route he could take. |
| “I am used to what you call Mission Impossible,” he said at the news conference, responding to a question from a reporter about whether he will spend the rest of his life as a fugitive. He added: “I would be willing to stand trial anywhere where I think I could have a fair trial.” | “I am used to what you call Mission Impossible,” he said at the news conference, responding to a question from a reporter about whether he will spend the rest of his life as a fugitive. He added: “I would be willing to stand trial anywhere where I think I could have a fair trial.” |
| Mr. Ghosn is a citizen of France, Brazil and Lebanon. Asked whether he would consider going to France, Mr. Ghosn said he was content in Lebanon. “I’m very happy to be here,” he said. “I’m with my friends, I’m with my family, my kids can come visit me. I can use the phone, I can use the internet.” | Mr. Ghosn is a citizen of France, Brazil and Lebanon. Asked whether he would consider going to France, Mr. Ghosn said he was content in Lebanon. “I’m very happy to be here,” he said. “I’m with my friends, I’m with my family, my kids can come visit me. I can use the phone, I can use the internet.” |
| In recent days, officials in France have hardened their stance on Mr. Ghosn, calling him a “defendant like any other” and saying he should face justice in a court of law. | In recent days, officials in France have hardened their stance on Mr. Ghosn, calling him a “defendant like any other” and saying he should face justice in a court of law. |
| Mr. Ghosn began his speech as if he were giving a corporate presentation, promising a point-by-point defense and projecting documents onto a screen. | Mr. Ghosn began his speech as if he were giving a corporate presentation, promising a point-by-point defense and projecting documents onto a screen. |
| He outlined the minutiae of the case against him and discussed specific emails and statements to prosecutors, complete with a presentation of documents to support his argument. But there was a problem: The text was too small for anyone in the room to read. | He outlined the minutiae of the case against him and discussed specific emails and statements to prosecutors, complete with a presentation of documents to support his argument. But there was a problem: The text was too small for anyone in the room to read. |
| He noted that both of his companies had fared worse without him. “By the way, the market cap decrease of Nissan is more than $10 billion,” he said. “By the way, Renault is not better. … The market cap of Renault went down by more than $5 billion.” | He noted that both of his companies had fared worse without him. “By the way, the market cap decrease of Nissan is more than $10 billion,” he said. “By the way, Renault is not better. … The market cap of Renault went down by more than $5 billion.” |
| “As a shareholder of Nissan, I say, ‘Who is protecting me?’” he said. | |
| Mr. Ghosn pushed his theory that his arrest was the work of Nissan executives motivated by the fact that Nissan’s performance had begun to decline. | |
| And, he said, the charge of underreporting income isn’t one that should have landed him in jail. | And, he said, the charge of underreporting income isn’t one that should have landed him in jail. |
| Mr. Ghosn has also claimed the charges against him were an effort by Nissan and Japanese officials to prevent a merger with Renault. | Mr. Ghosn has also claimed the charges against him were an effort by Nissan and Japanese officials to prevent a merger with Renault. |
| Taking questions from reporters, he said that rather than a merger, he had proposed creating a holding company that would have had one board of directors but allowed Nissan and Renault to continue operating as separate companies. | Taking questions from reporters, he said that rather than a merger, he had proposed creating a holding company that would have had one board of directors but allowed Nissan and Renault to continue operating as separate companies. |
| He defended a lavish party that he held at the Palace of Versailles in 2016 that has been the subject of an investigation by French prosecutors. At question is whether the party was a misuse of company money, because it coincided with Mr. Ghosn’s wedding to his second wife, Carole, and with her 50th birthday. | He defended a lavish party that he held at the Palace of Versailles in 2016 that has been the subject of an investigation by French prosecutors. At question is whether the party was a misuse of company money, because it coincided with Mr. Ghosn’s wedding to his second wife, Carole, and with her 50th birthday. |
| Mr. Ghosn said the party had emerged from a pre-existing relationship between Versailles and the auto alliance. | |
| Still, he said, “obviously this is not a very cheap party.” | |
| One of the major public criticisms of Mr. Ghosn has involved houses that reports have said Nissan bought for his benefit. The properties include those in Rio de Janeiro and Beirut. | |
| On Wednesday, Mr. Ghosn argued that the houses had been bought with the assent of top officials at Nissan. He displayed documents that he said showed that Greg Kelly, his onetime lieutenant, and Hiroto Saikawa, his successor as chief executive and one of the company officials he blames for his downfall, had signed off on the purchases. | |
| The criminal charges against Mr. Ghosn in Japan do not include the properties. But Mr. Ghosn said the accusations had been leaked as part of a Nissan smear campaign. | |
| “This is part of the character assassination,” he said. | “This is part of the character assassination,” he said. |
| Since his arrest, Mr. Ghosn and his family have denounced the Japanese justice system, arguing that he has been a victim of “injustice and political persecution.” His comments followed a similar line. | |
| “I have not experienced a moment of freedom since Nov. 19, 2018,” he told the room of reporters. “It is impossible to express the depth of the aggravation and my profound appreciation once again to be able to be reunited with my family and loved ones.” | “I have not experienced a moment of freedom since Nov. 19, 2018,” he told the room of reporters. “It is impossible to express the depth of the aggravation and my profound appreciation once again to be able to be reunited with my family and loved ones.” |
| Mr. Ghosn defended his decision to flee Japan rather than face trial. | Mr. Ghosn defended his decision to flee Japan rather than face trial. |
| “I did not escape justice. I fled injustice and political persecution,” he said. “I was left with no other choice but to protect myself and my family.” | “I did not escape justice. I fled injustice and political persecution,” he said. “I was left with no other choice but to protect myself and my family.” |
| Mr. Ghosn also assailed his treatment by prosecutors. | Mr. Ghosn also assailed his treatment by prosecutors. |
| Prosecutors in Tokyo issued a long statement on Wednesday saying that Mr. Ghosn’s claim of a conspiracy between them and Nissan is “categorically false and completely contrary to fact.” | |
| The statement said Mr. Ghosn’s treatment reflected the fact that he was a flight risk. | The statement said Mr. Ghosn’s treatment reflected the fact that he was a flight risk. |
| Earlier in the day, the authorities entered the offices of Mr. Ghosn’s lawyers in Japan with a search warrant. But the law firm of Junichiro Hironaka, Mr. Ghosn’s top lawyer in Japan, said lawyers had kept the authorities from confiscating two computers that Mr. Ghosn had used. | |
| Mr. Ghosn walked with his wife, Carole, into a frenzy of camera operators in a plain white conference room in Beirut, with a burst of flash bulbs going off. Organizers were pleading with the camera operators to back off. A burly, bearded bodyguard stood next to Mr. Ghosn at the lectern. | Mr. Ghosn walked with his wife, Carole, into a frenzy of camera operators in a plain white conference room in Beirut, with a burst of flash bulbs going off. Organizers were pleading with the camera operators to back off. A burly, bearded bodyguard stood next to Mr. Ghosn at the lectern. |
| Before he emerged, more than 100 journalists from across the world had jostled to get inside the conference room at the Lebanese Press Syndicate. A security team checked IDs and bags, and Lebanese reporters interviewed their Japanese counterparts about Mr. Ghosn’s escape from Tokyo. | Before he emerged, more than 100 journalists from across the world had jostled to get inside the conference room at the Lebanese Press Syndicate. A security team checked IDs and bags, and Lebanese reporters interviewed their Japanese counterparts about Mr. Ghosn’s escape from Tokyo. |
| Mr. Ghosn, 65, a celebrity in Japan and a hero to many in Lebanon, oversaw a turnaround at Nissan starting in the late 1990s and had the rare position of running two major companies simultaneously: Nissan and Renault, based in France. | Mr. Ghosn, 65, a celebrity in Japan and a hero to many in Lebanon, oversaw a turnaround at Nissan starting in the late 1990s and had the rare position of running two major companies simultaneously: Nissan and Renault, based in France. |
| Born in Brazil and raised in Lebanon, Mr. Ghosnjoined Renault as an executive in the 1990s. | Born in Brazil and raised in Lebanon, Mr. Ghosnjoined Renault as an executive in the 1990s. |
| But his career collapsed in late 2018 when he was arrested by the Japanese authorities and later charged with underreporting his compensation and shifting personal financial losses to Nissan. Nissan had also been indicted on charges of improperly reporting Mr. Ghosn’s income — and had said it would cooperate with prosecutors. | |
| Mr. Ghosn was held for more than 100 days, after which he was in and out of jail. He was released after he posted bail and agreed to strict conditions: He could not leave Tokyo, and his movements would be monitored, although he was not required to wear an ankle bracelet. | Mr. Ghosn was held for more than 100 days, after which he was in and out of jail. He was released after he posted bail and agreed to strict conditions: He could not leave Tokyo, and his movements would be monitored, although he was not required to wear an ankle bracelet. |
| After he was arrested again in April, prosecutors imposed another condition for his release: Mr. Ghosn was forbidden from communicating with his wife. | After he was arrested again in April, prosecutors imposed another condition for his release: Mr. Ghosn was forbidden from communicating with his wife. |
| No official account of how Mr. Ghosn escaped has emerged yet. But reporting by The Times and the news media in multiple countries has revealed a basic outline of what likely took place. | |
| On the afternoon of Dec. 29, he walked out of his home in Tokyo and took a bullet train to Osaka, about 340 miles southwest of the capital. Then he boarded a corporate jet at Kansai International Airport, hidden inside a box designed for concert equipment. He landed at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, switched planes and flew to Beirut. | On the afternoon of Dec. 29, he walked out of his home in Tokyo and took a bullet train to Osaka, about 340 miles southwest of the capital. Then he boarded a corporate jet at Kansai International Airport, hidden inside a box designed for concert equipment. He landed at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, switched planes and flew to Beirut. |
| When he spoke on Wednesday, Mr. Ghosn was quick to tell reporters that he was not planning to talk about the escape. | When he spoke on Wednesday, Mr. Ghosn was quick to tell reporters that he was not planning to talk about the escape. |
| “I am here to talk about why I left,” he said. | “I am here to talk about why I left,” he said. |
| Ben Dooley and Vivian Yee reported from Beirut, and David Yaffe-Bellany from New York. Kevin Granville and Geneva Abdul contributed reporting from London, and Carlos Tejada from Hong Kong. |