PARIS (Reuters) – Carlos Ghosn, the ousted boss of the Renault-Nissan (RENA.PA) (7201.T) carmaking alliance who was awaiting trial in Japan on charges of financial misconduct, flew into Lebanon on Monday evening, France’s Les Echos newspaper reported.

The newspaper cited its own unnamed source and a report in Lebanese newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour. There was no immediate confirmation from official sources.

It was unclear how Ghosn, who holds both French and Lebanese citizenship, would have been able to leave Japan, where he has been under strict court-imposed restrictions on his movements.

The Financial Times said Ghosn was no longer under house arrest, but said it was not clear whether he had escaped or a deal had been reached. Ghosn landed at Beirut’s Rafic al-Hariri international airport late on Sunday, the paper said, citing an associate of Ghosn.

The Wall Street Journal cited a source saying Ghosn had fled Japan.

Ghosn’s movements and communications had been closely monitored and restricted to prevent his fleeing the country and tampering with evidence, the Tokyo District court previously said.

Ghosn was arrested at a Tokyo airport shortly after his private jet touched down on Nov. 19, 2018. He faces four charges – which he denies – including hiding income and enriching himself through payments to dealerships in the Middle East.

Nissan sacked the once-lauded Ghosn, saying its internal investigations revealed misconduct ranging from understating his salary while he was its chief executive, and transferring $5 million of Nissan funds to an account in which he had an interest.

Brazilian-born, of Lebanese descent and a French citizen, Ghosn began his career in 1978 at tiremaker Michelin. He moved to Renault in 1996, where he oversaw a turnaround at the French automaker that won him the nickname “Le Cost Killer.”

After Renault sealed an alliance with Nissan in 1999, Ghosn used similar methods to revive the ailing Japanese brand, leading to “business superstar” status in Japan, blanket media coverage and even a manga comic book on his life.

Since his arrest, Ghosn has said he is the victim of a boardroom coup, accusing former Nissan colleagues of “backstabbing,” describing them as selfish rivals bent on derailing a closer alliance between the Japanese automaker and Renault, its top shareholder.

Ghosn’s lawyers have asked a court to dismiss all charges against him. They accuse prosecutors of colluding with government officials and Nissan executives to oust him to block any takeover of the automaker by French alliance partner Renault, of which Ghosn was also chairman.

After his arrest, Ghosn spent a long period in detention, but more recently was allowed out, subject to stringent bail conditions, which required him to stay in Japan.

Source: Read Full Article