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Nissan sues Ghosn's sister while Renault finds no irregularities in his pay

Nissan sued ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn's sister on Tuesday in a Rio de Janeiro court for "unjust enrichment," according to judicial records seen by Reuters. The suit is the latest twist to a bitter legal fight between Ghosn and Nissan over the contents of a beachfront apartment that the former executive used during his trips to Brazil. Brazilian-born Ghosn is accused of having underreported his income while leading the Japanese carmaker and diverting company funds for his personal use. He is being held in a prison in Japan and the carmaker says there might be evidence of his alleged crimes in the Rio apartment. Additional details regarding the unjust enrichment suit were not immediately available and it was unclear how long it might take to resolve the case. A representative for the Ghosn family did not have an immediate comment. The Japanese press had already reported that Ghosn's sister, Claudine Bichara de Oliveira, could be embroiled in the scandal. Yomuri, Japan's largest daily by circulation, reported in November citing unnamed sources that Nissan's internal investigation had found that Ghosn instructed the company since 2002 to pay some $100,000 a year to his elder sister. The compensation was supposed to be for a role as an adviser. The paper added that Bichara de Oliveira had in fact been living in and managing the Rio apartment that Nissan had bought for the use of Ghosn and that she had done no advisory work for the car maker. Meanwhile, Renault issued a preliminary report indicating that an audit launched in the wake of Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn's arrest in Japan had so far found no irregularities with his pay at the French carmaker. Ghosn was charged on Monday in Japan for failing to declare deferred income he had agreed to receive from Nissan, for the five years ending March 2015. There is speculation that Nissan itself may be indicted in Japan as part of the case against Ghosn. While Nissan fired Ghosn days after his Nov. 19 arrest, Renault has resisted pressure to replace him permanently. The Renault board also "noted that, at this stage, it does not have information concerning Carlos Ghosn's defense," the company said after its meeting, which had long been scheduled to discuss 2018-19 financial accounts. During the five-hour session, several directors led by Cherie Blair, wife of the British former prime minister Tony Blair, began to express impatience with that position, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

Nissan board meets but doesn't pick a replacement for Ghosn

YOKOHAMA, Japan — Nissan's board met Monday but failed to pick a new chairman to replace Carlos Ghosn, who was arrested last month on charges of violating financial regulations, saying more discussion was needed. Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa told reporters that the board approved a special committee of outsiders to strengthen governance at the company. A date for the selection of a chairman was not decided. "We plan to be cautious in this process, and I do not plan to rush this," Saikawa said. The recommendations for beefing up governance are due in March, and Saikawa said he was willing to wait until then to choose a chairman. The board meeting came amid an unfolding scandal that threatens the Japanese automaker's two-decade alliance with Renault SA of France and its global brand, and highlights shoddy governance at the manufacturer of the Leaf electric car. Related: Carlos Ghosn coup theory grows: Did Nissan set him up for a fall? Ghosn and another board member Greg Kelly were formally charged last week with falsifying financial reports in underreporting Ghosn's income by about 5 billion yen ($44 million) from 2011 to 2015. They were arrested Nov. 19 by Tokyo prosecutors and remain in detention. A source close to Ghosn's family says Ghosn is innocent, as the alleged income was never decided upon or paid. Aubrey Harwell, the U.S. lawyer for Kelly, an American, says he is innocent, and that Nissan insiders and outside experts had advised him that the financial reporting was proper. The chairman must be selected from among the board members. Three outside board members — race-car driver Keiko Ihara; Masakazu Toyoda, an academic; and Jean-Baptiste Duzan, formerly of Renault — are making that decision. The special committee for governance includes the three outside board members and four other outsiders, including former judge Seiichiro Nishioka. One candidate for chairman is Saikawa, who was hand-picked by Ghosn to succeed him as chief executive. He has denounced Ghosn and Kelly as the "masterminds" in a scheme to falsify income reports and abuse company money and assets. Renault has kept Ghosn as chief executive and chairman, saying its investigation has not found wrongdoing in the awarding of Ghosn's compensation. Saikawa called on directors at Renault to heed its reasons for sacking Ghosn, but Renault's interim chairman Philippe Lagayette said on Friday that its board had not considered a replacement.

Carlos Ghosn asks why Japanese don't question him in Lebanon

BEIRUT — Former Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said in an interview aired Monday that French investigators are coming to question him in Lebanon over some legal challenges in France, asking why don't the Japanese do the same thing. GhosnÂ’s comments came two weeks after a Lebanese justice ministry official said a team of French investigators will come to Beirut in January to participate in interrogating the former auto executive. Ghosn, who is a Lebanese, Brazilian and French national, fled Japan in a dramatic escape that drew headlines in late 2019, arriving in Lebanon on Dec. 30 of that year. In addition to his trial in Japan, the 66-year-old businessman is facing a number of legal challenges in France, including tax evasion and alleged money laundering, fraud and misuse of company assets while at the helm of the Renault-Nissan alliance. Ghosn said there is neutrality in Lebanon, where he has been living since fleeing Japan, adding that Lebanese authorities have asked Japanese officials to send the charges against him but Tokyo did not. “What does that mean?” asked Ghosn insisting that he is innocent and was the victim of JapanÂ’s judicial system. “Now the French have charges,” Ghosn said. “They (French) are coming and they will question me. The Japanese are not doing this.” “I consider all the charges to be false,” Ghosn said. After leading the Japanese automaker Nissan for two decades, Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of breach of trust, misusing company assets for personal gains and violating securities laws by not fully disclosing his compensation. He denied wrongdoing and fled Japan while out on bail awaiting trial. He is unlikely to be extradited from Lebanon, where he has been since last year. Ghosn said in the interview with the local LBC TV that Lebanon, which is passing through its worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history, “proved that it protects it citizens.” He added: “I am a French citizen, and the French state did not defend me.” At least two Ghosn-related investigations were opened in France. One focused on suspicious transactions between Renault and a distributor in Oman, as well as suspected payments for private trips and events paid by Renault-NissanÂ’s Netherlands-based holding company RNBV. Another investigation focused on suspected misuse of company funds for a party for Ghosn at Versailles.