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A spokesman for the fallen global car boss Carlos Ghosn has said he is “surprised” by reports the French authorities have issued an international warrant for his arrest.
Mr Ghosn, who fled Japan in 2019 ahead of a trial on financial misconduct charges linked to his tenure at the helm of Nissan and Renault, was said by the Wall Street Journal to be facing further financial misconduct allegations in France.
Local media also said an investigating magistrate had issued five international arrest warrants – against Ghosn and the current owners or former directors of an Omani vehicle distributor.
The case in France is said to relate to an alleged misuse of funds at Renault
They were said to allege that Ghosn funnelled millions of dollars of Renault funds through Suhail Bahwan Automobiles for his personal use, including for the purchase of a 120-foot yacht.
The local prosecutor for Nanterre was yet to comment on the reports.
Ghosn’s spokesperson responded: “This is surprising, Ghosn has always co-operated with French authorities.”
He currently remains the subject of an Interpol warrant that is preventing him from travelling outside of Lebanon – the country that has proved his sanctuary since his dramatic escape from Tokyo in December 2019.
Japan has no extradition treaty with Lebanon, meaning Ghosn is likely to remain out of its reach
Ghosn was initially arrested in November 2018 on claims he diverted money from Nissan for his own gain and underreported his future income.
He fiercely denied the allegations and said he skipped bail – and ultimately the country – because he would not have faced a fair trial.
The elaborate escape plot saw the motor industry executive smuggled out via plane inside a case meant for music equipment.
A US special forces veteran and his son later admitted crucial roles in his flight to safety and were jailed by a Tokyo cour last July.
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