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Carlos Ghosn's lawyers hit back at Nissan fraud claims

Getty Images Carlos GhosnGetty Images

Lawyers acting for ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn have hit back after the car giant accused him of misusing the firm's money for events abroad.

Nissan said its joint venture with Renault spent €3.9m (£3.3m) on Mr Ghosn's personal expenses.

The events included a party at the Palace of Versailles and trips to Rio de Janeiro carnivals.

Mr Ghosn's lawyers said Nissan's investigation is biased and designed to publicly smear him.

They added that Nissan never interviewed him or his aide Greg Kelly, who also faces criminal charges in Japan.

Mr Ghosn fled from Japan to Lebanon on 29 December to escape charges of financial misconduct.

He later gave a news conference in Beirut in which he described his decision to abscond as the most difficult of his life.

He denies charges of financial wrongdoing in Japan, claiming the country's justice system is "rigged". Mr Kelly remains in Japan on bail.

AFP The Marmottan Museum in ParisAFP
Nissan claims Carlos Ghosn used company money for dinners at Paris's Marmottan Museum

The report, submitted by Nissan to the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Thursday, details "personal expenses of Mr Ghosn" which it claimed were "unrelated to corporate purposes".

These include:

  • Dinners at the Marmottan Museum in Paris
  • Guest entertainment at the Cannes Film Festival
  • Jewellery purchased at Cartier stores

It also claims Nissan paid $750,000 in advisory fees to Mr Ghosn's sister and that he used the corporate jet "for purposes that were highly likely unrelated to [company] business".

Nissan published a report into corporate governance at the firm after conducting an investigation which included examining "the misconducts by Mr Ghosn, Mr. Kelly and individuals who may have acted in concert with them".

Mr Ghosn defence team said: "This report confirms that Nissan's investigation was biased, lacked integrity and independence and was designed and executed for the predetermined purpose of taking out Carlos Ghosn."

Mr Ghosn and Mr Kelly are accused by Japanese authorities of under-reporting Mr Ghosn's compensation by more than $80m. Mr Ghosn has also been charged with aggravated breach of trust. Both men deny the charges.