- NHK and Jiji Press reported that prosecutors have filed the new charge
- This paves the way for Carlos Ghosn’s legal team to appeal for bail
TOKYO: Lawyers for former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn on Monday applied for bail after authorities hit the auto tycoon with a charge of aggravated breach of trust — his fourth formal indictment.
“The lawyers requested bail on April 22,” the Tokyo District Court said in a statement.
The charge has ensured Ghosn would remain in custody 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 defense 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.