US Prosecutors Say Ex-Nissan CEO Ghosn Wired $862,000 To Alleged Escape Helper - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2020) Ex-Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, who escaped from Japan last December while awaiting trial on financial misconduct charges, is believed to have made $862,000 in wire payments to a company linked to the family of former US officer, who is suspected of assistance in organizing Ghosn's escape, media reported, citing documents submitted to a US court.

According to Financial Times, there were two wire transfers made in October 2019 from a Paris-based account that US prosecutors allege were linked to Ghosn to Promote Fox company managed by former member of the US Army Special Forces Michael Taylor.

Taylor and his son, Peter, were arrested in Massachusetts in May for their alleged involvement in organizing Ghosn's escape. They are currently in custody, but lawyers have requested that they be released on bail. At the same time, prosecutors insist that there is a risk of their escape.

Earlier in July, Tokyo prosecutor's office formally asked the United States to extradite the two US nationals accused of helping ex-Nissan chairman to flee Japan.

Ghosn, a Brazilian-born French businessman of Lebanese origin, was arrested in Tokyo in November 2018 on charges of underreporting income during his time as chairman of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

Since April 2019, Ghosn had been under house arrest and under close surveillance, awaiting trial. However, on New Year's Eve he issued a statement saying that he had arrived in his home country of Lebanon. Ghosn was believed to have fled Japan by private jet presumably inside a box for musical instruments.

Japan's investigative bodies proceeded to request that Interpol issue the so-called red notice for Ghosn, which led to a court in Lebanon banning the ex-CEO from leaving the country. However, Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.