The Carlos Ghosn case had made headlines worldwide – now another court is dealing with the former top automobile manager. Reason: French carmaker Renault wants to claim damages from its former boss. The group announced on Monday that it would file a civil suit in France for alleged financial misconduct.
–
In France, an investigation is underway against Ghosn for taking advantage, among other things in connection with his pompous wedding at Palace of Versailles in October 2016.
The celebration in the palace complex of “Sun King” Louis XIV could have been an illegal donation for a sponsorship contract that Renault had concluded with Versailles Palace. Ghosn is also being investigated for suspicious financial transactions between Renault and its sales partner in the Gulf state of Oman and suspicious contracts between the Renault and Nissan joint venture in the Netherlands.
In mid-February, the Japanese car maker Nissan filed a civil lawsuit against Ghosn in Japan, demanding ten billion yen (around 83.4 million euros). Among other things, Nissan accuses the ex-manager of having used corporate jets privately and using residential real estate abroad without paying for it. The carmaker also accused Ghosn of illegally making payments to his sister and lawyer in Lebanon.
–
Ghosn, in turn, has announced that it plans to sue Renault in several trials for a sum in the tens of millions. Among other things, Ghosn wants to force Renault to hand over shares worth a good 15 million euros and an annual pension payment of almost 800,000 euros. On Friday, the ex-car manager’s lawyers initially postponed an “urgent lawsuit” over the pension payments. The reason for this is that they need more time to sift through newly submitted documents from Renault.
The flight from Japan caused a sensation
The ex-car manager, most recently head of Nissan’s board of directors, was arrested in Japan in November 2018. Among other things, the prosecutor accuses him of misusing company capital and transferring private losses to Nissan.
–
Ghosn himself always spoke of a conspiracy at Nissan to get rid of him. The reason is that he wanted to bring Nissan closer to Renault. Shortly before the turn of the year, Ghosn had left Japan and traveled to Lebanon after a spectacular escape.
–
