Japanese prosecutors seek to probe Ghosn’s wife over use of Nissan funds
Tokyo prosecutors have called on judges to question the wife of embattled car executive Carlos Ghosn over her involvement in the alleged embezzlement of funds.
Prosecutors suspect Ghosn channelled funds from Nissan into a company where his wife, Carole, is an executive, Reuters reported, citing local media.
Read more: Ghosn to be detained for further 10 days of questioning rules Tokyo court
They are now looking to question Carole over the transfer of funds, which are thought to have been used to purchase a yacht and a boat.
Carole turned down an initial request for a voluntary questioning, leading prosecutors to ask judges to question her on a mandatory basis.
The request comes after Ghosn was rearrested in Japan last week on fresh charges of financial misconduct. Carole has since flown to Paris to urge the French government to do more to help her husband.
“I don’t think he’s had enough support and he’s calling for assistance. As a French citizen, it should be a right,” she told the Financial Times.
Ghosn’s lead lawyer Junichiro Hironaka said Japanese authorities confiscated the former Nissan boss’s mobile phone and a series of documents, while his wife’s mobile phone and Lebanese passport were also taken.
The latest arrest is a major blow for Ghosn, who could be held for up to 22 days without charge. His lawyers have said the move is an attempt to silence him.
Read more: Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn re-arrested in Japan
Last week a tweet sent from a newly-created Twitter account in Ghosn's name promised a press conference on 11 April. “I’m getting ready to tell the truth about what’s happening,” the tweet said.
Ghosn had spent 108 days behind bars before his initial release in March. Lawyer Takashi Takano has published a blog post outlining the strict bail conditions imposed on his client, including 24-hour video surveillance at his house and the use of only one mobile phone and computer.