New step in the so-called “Carlos Ghosn” affair. On Thursday 21 April, French justice issued an international arrest warrant against the former Renault-Nissan boss. The 68-year-old businessman, who was to be tried in Tokyo on suspicion of financial embezzlement, has been living in Beirut (Lebanon) since his incredible flight from Japan in late 2019.
This arrest warrant has been issued in connection with: of the judicial information accessed on February 12, 2020 by the Nanterre Public Prosecutor’s Office, in particular for misuse of company assets, money laundering and corruption. What does this decision mean? What will happen to Carlos Ghosn? What exactly is he accused of? Response elements.
1What does this arrest warrant mean?
This international arrest warrant is worthy of indictment. If he is executed, the ex-boss is immediately brought before an examining magistrate in Nanterre, who informs him of the charges against him. But Carlos Ghosn lives in Lebanon, a country that does not extradite its nationals, and the Lebanese authorities have imposed a travel ban on him.
†This mandate is very surprising because the investigating judge and the Nanterre prosecutor are well aware that Carlos Ghosn, who has always worked with the judiciary, is subject to a judicial prohibition to leave Lebanese territory.replied Jean Tamalet, one of the businessman’s lawyers.
2Why is Carlos Ghosn in Lebanon?
Carlos Ghosn had fled Japan, hidden in a box of audio equipment. He had justified this escape by claiming to have wanted… “escape from injustice”believing to be the victim of a “conspiracy” Japanese authorities. The former boss is therefore under an Interpol arrest warrant for evading Japanese justice.
Since his escape, Carlos Ghosn has lived in Beirut and has remained discreet. He refrained from commenting on the country’s troubled political and economic life and did not lecture at Kaslik’s Holy Spirit University. In an interview at Parisian† last February he assured that he wanted to return to France. “I can’t come back for now”he said in this interview.
“France is here, it remains; the governments, they pass. Of course, the day I can, I will go to France”, he explained. And Carlos Ghosn for the . to sue ‘Deadly stab by French government and management of Renault’the car manufacturer that initiated civil proceedings in this case.
3What is the French justice accusing him of?
A few months after the arrest of Carlos Ghosn in Tokyo in November 2018, the Japanese justice suspects him has failed to declare part of his income to Nissan, Renault had reported to the French courts that its ex-boss for his… “personal benefit” a benefit in kind of 50,000 euros under a sponsorship agreement with the Palace of Versailles.
In February 2020, judicial information was opened by the public prosecutor of Nanterre and the investigation was then in the interest of the French judges for suspicious payments (nearly 15 million euros) between the Renault-Nissan alliance and the company Suhail Bahwan Automobiles (SBA), the distributor of the diamond brand in the Sultanate of Oman. In June 2021, magistrates visited Beirut for five days Questioning Carlos Ghosn†
The investigating judge in charge of the investigation also issued four other international arrest warrants against: “the current owners or former managers of the Omani company SBA“, the public prosecutor of Nanterre told AFP. Justice accuses them of money laundering or corruption.
4How did Renault and management react?
Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told BFMTV he wouldn’t “no comment”call to “let justice do its work”† Same story on the part of Emmanuel Macron. “I will not go into what is a judicial decision that is made independently”said the president, candidate for re-election, on? France Inter† And to wish the head of state “that justice can do its job with anyone, any subject that is”†
The Renault group, which until now had never spoken out, “takes note of the decision of the magistrates”told AFP his lawyer, Kami Haeri. “This is a big step that can be explained by the seriousness of the new facts that have come to light following close investigations that have uncovered hidden financial relationships between Carlos Ghosn and the founders and SBA leaders.”he added.
