Former Nissan chairman Ghosn hit with two fresh financial misconduct charges
Tokyo prosecutors have slapped down two fresh charges of financial conduct on Carlos Ghosn in the latest blow for the embattled former Nissan chairman.
Ghosn has been charged with aggravated breach of trust for transferring personal losses to the car manufacturer and for understating his pay between 2015 and 2017, Reuters reported, citing Ghosn’s lawyer Motonari Otsuru.
Otsuru said his legal team was applying for bail for the disgraced executive, who has been in custody since 19 November on a previous charge of underreporting his salary.
But he said Ghosn is likely to be held until his trial, which may not begin for another six months.
The new indictment comes a day after Renault held an extraordinary board meeting to discuss Ghosn’s future. The firm reiterated its support for its chairman and chief executive, saying it had found no evidence of wrongdoing.
“The review process has examined the compensation of the current Groupe Renault executive committee members for the financial years 2017 and 2018 and has concluded that it is both in compliance with applicable laws and free from any fraud,” Renault said in a statement.
Nissan, which ousted Ghosn following his arrest, said it is continuing an internal investigation into potential illegal use of its funds.
“Nissan does not in any way tolerate such misconduct and calls for strict penalties,” it said.
During his first public appearance in a Tokyo court on Tuesday Ghosn denied the allegations against him.
“I have been wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations,” he said.