Japan raids Nissan ex-chair Ghosn's home after daring escape
Former NBA commissioner David Stern died at the age of 77, former Yankees pitcher Don Larson died at the age of 90 and former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn was allowed to hold a French passport which aided in his flight from justice. FOX Business’ Cheryl Casone with more.
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese prosecutors on Thursday raided the Tokyo home of former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn after he skipped bail and fled to Lebanon before his trial on financial misconduct charges.
Tokyo prosecutors and police did not immediately comment. Japanese media showed investigators entering the home, which was Ghosn's third residence in Tokyo since he was first arrested a year ago. Authorities have now searched each one.
Journalists wait outside former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn's residence before a raid in Tokyo Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020.(Yuki Sato/Kyodo News via AP)
Prosecutors enter former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn's residence during a raid in Tokyo Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. (Yuki Sato/Kyodo News via AP)
Prosecutors arrives at former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn's residence for a raid in Tokyo Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. (Yuki Sato/Kyodo News via AP)
Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn travels in a car, in Tokyo, after posting 1 billion yen ($8.9 million) in bail once an appeal by prosecutors against his release was rejected. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko. File)
Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn leaves Tokyo's Detention Center for bail in Tokyo. By jumping bail, Ghosn, who had long insisted on his innocence, has now committed a clear crime and can never return to Japan without going to jail. (Kyodo News via AP, File)
Government offices in Japan are closed this week for the New Year's holidays.
It is unclear how Ghosn avoided the tight surveillance he was under in Japan and showed up in Lebanon.
Ghosn said Tuesday in a statement that he left for Lebanon because he thought the Japanese judicial system was unjust, and he wanted to avoid “political persecution.”
FRENCH PASSPORT HELPED CARLOS GHOSN FLEE JAPAN: REPORT
He said he would talk to reporters next week.
Japan does not have an extradition treaty with Lebanon.
Lebanon has said Ghosn entered the country legally, and there was no reason to take action against him.
The Lebanese minister for presidential affairs, Selim Jreissati, told the An-Nahar newspaper that Ghosn entered legally at the airport with a French passport and Lebanese ID.
Ghosn's lawyers in Japan said they had no knowledge of the escape and they had all his passports. Ghosn has French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenship.
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Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV, without identifying sources, reported Thursday that Ghosn had two French passports.
Earlier Japanese reports said there were no official records in Japan of Ghosn’s departure, but a private jet had left from a regional airport to Turkey.
Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency said Thursday that Turkish authorities had detained seven people as part of an investigation into how Ghosn fled to Lebanon via Istanbul.
The private DHA news agency reported that those detained are 4 pilots, a cargo company manager and two airport workers.
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The Hurriyet newspaper said the plane carrying Ghosn landed at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport at 05:30 on Dec. 29. Ghosn was not registered upon landing and was smuggled on board another plane that left for Lebanon, the paper reported.
Ghosn, who was charged in Japan with under-reporting his future compensation and breach of trust, has repeatedly asserted his innocence, saying authorities trumped up charges to prevent a possible fuller merger between Nissan Motor Co. and alliance partner Renault SA.
His 1.5 billion yen ($14 million) bail that Ghosn posted on two separate instances to get out of detention is being revoked.