Ex-Nissan Chairman Ghosn indicted on aggravated breach of trust charge

Tuesday, 23 April 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

TOKYO (Reuters): Japanese prosecutors indicted former Nissan Motor Co Chairman Carlos Ghosn on Monday on a charge of aggravated breach of trust, a Tokyo court said, bringing a fourth charge against him on the day his detention period was set to expire.

The charge, which ensures Ghosn will remain in custody pending another likely bail attempt by his lawyers, comes after authorities arrested him earlier this month for a fourth time on suspicion he enriched himself by a total of $5 million at Nissan’s expense.

Ghosn, who had been released on $9 million bail last month after spending 108 days in jail, has denied all allegations against him. His defence team has launched a public battle against the prosecutors, calling the latest arrest “illegal” in documents seen by Reuters.

Earlier in the day, Nissan said it had filed a criminal complaint after determining payments made by the automaker to an overseas vehicle sales company through a subsidiary had been directed by Ghosn for his personal enrichment.

A spokesman for the company said it believed it had been harmed by Ghosn’s misconduct.

“Such misconduct is completely unacceptable, and Nissan is requesting appropriately strict penalties,” the automaker said in a statement.

Prosecutors had to indict or release Ghosn by Monday under the terms of his detention.

Ghosn already faces three other charges, related to allegedly understating his income and for allegedly transferring personal investment losses to Nissan.

He has denied all the allegations against him.