Prosecutors file new allegation against Carlos Ghosn

JAPANESE prosecutors have added a new allegation of breach of trust against Nissan’s former chairman Carlos Ghosn.

Ghosn, along with fellow executive Greg Kelly, was arrested on November 19 and charged with under-reporting his income by nearly 10 billion yen (circa £63m).

The fresh allegations were filed a day after a court rejected prosecutors’ request for a longer detention of Ghosn and Kelly.

Their lawyers were hoping they could get them released on bail as early as today.

So far, the new allegation only applies to Ghosn and Kelly could still be bailed.

Kyodo News service and other Japanese media reported that prosecutors alleged that Ghosn caused Nissan a loss of 1.8 billion yen (circa £12.6m) in 2008.

Prosecutors alleged that Ghosn put his personal investment loss during the Lehman crisis on to Nissan, according to Japanese reports.

Ghosn and Kelly are also facing allegations that they under-reported Ghosn’s pay by about five billion yen (circa £35 million) between 2011 and 2015, and another four billion yen (circa £28 million) for 2016 to 2018, for which their first 10-day detention was to expire yesterday.

The maximum penalty for violating the financial law is up to 10 years in prison, a 10 million yen (circa £70,000) fine, or both.

The arrest of an industry icon has triggered international attention. Prosecutors have been criticised for separating the same allegation into two periods as a tactic to detain Ghosn and Kelly for longer, but they say Ghosn and Kelly are flight risks. No trial date has been set.

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