Nissan sues Ghosn for millions

Nissan is taking its former chairman and alliance leader Carlos Ghosn to court, seeking NZ$140.6 million in damages.

This follows his dramatic escape from Japan, likened to a movie plot, where he was on bail.

Nissan says it’s seeking to recover costs from Ghosn’s alleged “corrupt” actions, including the personal use of private jets, using residential property without paying rent and making payments to his sister and personal lawyer using company accounts, The Guardian reports.

The Japanese auto manufacturer says it hopes to “recover a significant part of the monetary damages inflicted on the company by its former chairman as a result of years of his misconduct and fraudulent activity”, the report says.

Nissan and Japanese prosecutors allege Ghosn, dubbed “the father of the Leaf”, under-reported his income and used company money for personal gain – charges Ghosn has denied, Stuff adds.

The civil lawsuit, brought in the Yokohama District Court, comes on the eve of Nissan’s results announcement, with the company facing additional disruption from the coronavirus outbreak – shutting a factory owing to a parts shortage.

Ghosn remains in Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan, and is reported to likely forfeit US$14m in bail to Japanese authorities.

The Brazilian-born businessman, who has French citizenship too, was previously the head of French and Japanese firms Renault and Mitsubishi.

Nissan is considering increasing the claim against Ghosn whose lawyers have yet to consider its contents, and the company may also seek further action following remarks Ghosn made at a press conference in Lebanon.