Former Nissan Chief Ghosn faces second French arrest warrant

Former Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn faces another international arrest warrant as French investigators intensify their efforts to bring him to justice. A source close to the case revealed that a second warrant was issued in April by a Paris investigating magistrate after Ghosn failed to appear for charges filed against him last year, including corruption.

Ghosn, who currently resides in Lebanon, escaped Japanese custody in 2019 by concealing himself in an audio-equipment box. However, Lebanese authorities have prevented him from leaving the country due to the ongoing Japanese prosecution.

The new arrest warrant follows a previous one issued in April 2022 by investigators in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. That warrant targeted Ghosn for alleged abuse of company funds and money laundering related to contracts issued by a Renault-Nissan subsidiary during his tenure as CEO. The latest warrant may mark the culmination of a separate investigation launched in 2019, encompassing charges of corruption, bribery, influence peddling, abuse of company funds, and receiving stolen goods.

One particular aspect of the probe involves a payment of 900,000 euros ($980,000) made by Renault-Nissan’s Dutch subsidiary to Paris politician and former minister Rachida Dati. The payment was supposedly for Dati’s legal services between 2010 and 2012, a period when she also served as a member of the European Parliament. Dati has been under investigation since July 2021 for allegations of corruption and influence peddling during her time in office. Investigators are now scrutinizing whether the payment to Dati was a legitimate legal arrangement or a disguised form of lobbying, which would contravene the rules prohibiting such activities for MEPs.

Lawyers representing Dati, Olivier Baratelli and Olivier Pardo, believe that Ghosn’s involvement in the case will help uncover the truth. They plan to request joint questioning of Dati and Ghosn. As the legal proceedings progress, Ghosn potentially faces a criminal trial for the various charges brought against him, further complicating his situation as he remains unable to leave Lebanon.