Nissan and other companies are the targets of a $1 billion lawsuit filed by Carlos Ghosn. The Japanese automaker, two other companies, as well as 12 people are named in the complaint, which was filed in Lebanon, and they are accused of fabricating significant evidence and engaging in defamation, slander, and libel according to the latest Reuters report.
“We have a long battle in front of us. We are going to fight it to the end,” the former Nissan boss said. Ghosn’s lawsuit is seeking $588 million in lost remuneration and another $500 million in moral damage. In the statement, Ghosn says:
“What I am asking for is only a little compensation compared to what they’ve done to me”
Ghosn is regarded as one of the leading figures in the global car industry, having turned Nissan around from near bankruptcy in the late 90s. He was previously chairman of Nissan as well as Renault and Mitsubishi prior to his arrest in Japan in late 2018, where he was charged with under-reporting earnings, breach of trust, and misappropriation of company funds.
He refuted the allegations and maintained that Nissan had set him up by conspiring to have him detained. The narrative of Ghosn’s escape from Japan in December 2019 was the subject of several films on his life. He revealed in an interview with the BBC in 2021 that he did it with the assistance of two American people who hid him in a sizable music equipment box & moved out of Japan in a chartered airplane.
Related: Ghosn with the Wind… How Former Nissan Chairman Escaped from Japan
Since Ghosn’s expulsion the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Ghosn have been engaged in a protracted legal battle, with numerous lawsuits being brought against one another. When asked if the scope of his most recent legal action would extend to Renault, Ghosn responded that Nissan was the current focus. He said:
“I’m not precluding anything for the future. Today we are concentrating on the Nissan plot. It’s a large company and they have assets everywhere and you can go after their assets anywhere, so this is not a joke. I hope they are going to provision this amount of money and I hope they are going to talk to their shareholders about what is happening and why this is happening.”
Ghosn holds French, Lebanese, and Brazilian citizenship but has not left Lebanon since 2019 because of an Interpol Red Notice issued by Japan. His lawsuit alleges that “the sanctity of a residence” had been violated and says crimes were committed in Lebanon, Japan, France, Brazil, the United States, and the Netherlands. “I have the intention to get my rights back, to repair my reputation. I am going to dedicate all the time necessary for the truth to prevail,” he added.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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