The ousted auto boss Carlos Ghosn has compared his fall to a “bus” as he prepares to be questioned by French investigators on allegations of financial misconduct.
Mr Ghosn, once the powerful leader of an alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi, fell from power after his arrest in Japan in 2018 – before jumping bail and fling to Lebanon a year later.
He accused the “people who organized the conspiracy” of bringing him down for the resulting “collateral damage” – with several employees facing prison or trial in Japan and Turkey.
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During his stay in Japan, Mr. Ghosn was not allowed to speak to his wife, Carole
Mr Ghosn is now facing legal challenges in France after the Japanese allegations sparked a review of his activities there and the seizure of millions of euros of his assets.
The businessman has denied allegations related to alleged underreporting of his pay and misuse of company funds, claiming he was the victim of a corporate coup.
Reflecting on his demise in an interview with the Associated Press, Ghosn said, “It’s like … you’ve had a heart attack somewhere or been hit by a bus. You’re changing your life.
“Suddenly you are in a completely different reality and you have to adapt to this reality.”
Mr Ghosn said he voluntarily consented to days of questioning in Beirut by judges investigating financial misconduct claims in France.
They’re investigating funding for lavish parties the businessman threw in Versailles, as well as € 11 million in spending on private planes and events organized by a Dutch holding company, as well as subsidies for a car dealership in Oman.
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January 2020: “I faced a 99% conviction rate.”
He denies any wrongdoing.
During his initial detention in Japan, Mr. Ghosn had been in solitary confinement for months and was not allowed to speak to his wife, Carole.
He has said he fled the country after it became clear that he had no chance of getting a fair trial.
Mr. Ghosn told the Associated Press, “In Japan, a Japanese person interrogated me, wrote in Japanese, and asked me to sign things in Japanese that I don’t understand.
“Now I will speak in French and my lawyers will be there.
“Of course, I have a lot more confidence in the French legal system than in the Japanese system.”
Mr Ghosn added that he was “shocked” by one Court decision in the Netherlands last week when he dismissed his lawsuit against a Dutch alliance between Nissan and Mitsubishi and instead asked him to repay 5 million euros.
The businessman said in his interview that he now spends his time preparing his legal defense, teaching, helping start-ups and working on books and documentaries.
He added that he spent six months repairing his home after it was damaged in the massive explosion at a port in Beirut last summer.
