Ghosn to name those who caused his downnfall\, says wife as she flees Japan

Ghosn to name those who caused his downnfall, says wife as she flees Japan

Ghosn was re-arrested last week over fresh allegations of financial misconduct which will see him held in custody until at least April 14

AFP | PTI  |  Paris 

Carlos Ghosn
File photo | Former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn accompanied by his wife Carole Ghosn. Courtesy: Reuters

Arrested former boss is set to name the people he believes are responsible for his downfall in Japan, his wife said in an interview on Sunday as she fled out of fear she could be detained.

Ghosn was re-arrested last week in the Japanese capital over fresh allegations of financial misconduct which will see him held in custody until at least April 14.

Speaking to the Journal du Dimanche newspaper in France, his wife detailed the latest twists in the extraordinary saga, saying that Ghosn had recorded a video interview in English before his detention.

"He names the people responsible for what has happened to him. The lawyers have it. It will be released soon," she told the newspaper.

added that she had fled on a flight to - with support from the French to - because she "felt in danger." Despite her Lebanese passport being confiscated by Japanese authorities, said she was able to use her American passport to board a flight and was accompanied by the to the airport.

"He didn't leave me until the plane," she explained. "Up to the last second, I didn't know if they were going to let me fly. It was surreal." The role of the French could lead to fresh friction between the countries over the highly sensitive case, which involves and French Renault, which were both previously run by Ghosn.

Japanese news channel NHK said prosecutors in Tokyo wanted to question Carole on a voluntary basis.

Other reports in say that investigators are looking into allegations that company money allegedly misused by Ghosn could have transited through a business that was run by his wife.

Carole intends now to try to pressure the to do more for her husband whose 108-day imprisonment in between November 19 and March 6 had left him a "different person," she told in a separate interview.

France's said Saturday he had raised the case during talks with his Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of the meeting of (G7) foreign ministers in the French resort of Dinard.

Le Drian said he had "reminded him of our attachment to the presumption of innocence and the full rights of consular protection." Japanese authorities are looking into new allegations that Ghosn transferred some USD 15 million in funds between late 2015 and mid-2018 to a dealership in

They suspect around $5 million of these funds were siphoned off for Ghosn's use, including for the purchase of a luxury yacht and financing personal investments.

Prosecutors say Ghosn "betrayed" his duty not to cause losses to Nissan "in order to benefit himself." Ghosn denies the allegations and says he is also innocent of the three formal charges he faces: two charges of deferring his salary and concealing that in official shareholders' documents, and a further charge related to investment losses.

The man previously seen as the most powerful figure in the global told French channel TF1 last week that he was "a combative man and an innocent man" and vowed to "defend myself to the bitter end".

And he voiced concern that he would not be given a fair hearing in where around 99 per cent of trials result in a conviction.

First Published: Sun, April 07 2019. 20:00 IST