Chinanews.com, February 26th. According to the "European Times" report, on the evening of the 24th local time, Renault announced that within the framework of the judicial investigation of the company's former President Ghosn's misuse of company assets, Renault filed an incidental civil lawsuit against Ghosn . On the 19th, France formally launched a judicial investigation of Ghosn and commissioned a pre-trial judge to conduct a search.
Data sheet: Carlos Ghosn.
According to reports, Ghosn was accused of holding two private luxury dinners at Versailles during his tenure as President of Renault, at the cost of signing a sponsorship contract with Versailles in the name of Renault.
Renault stated in a public statement that "the company exercises its rights as a civil party ... and reserves the right to recover losses and damages after the investigation is finalized".
The Nanterre court in the Paris area has commissioned a panel of economic and financial professional pre-trial judges on "abuse of company assets, serious abuse of company assets; serious breach of trust, concealment of crimes; serious fraud, exploitation, and white corruption" "A judicial investigation of Ghosn's related actions from 2009 to 2020.
Prosecutors noted that the banquet held at the Palace of Versailles on March 9, 2014 was actually Ghosn's 60th birthday, rather than celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. The dinner cost 530,000 euros, invited many musicians, celebrities and so on, and set off fireworks.
According to Renault's internal records, 94 of the 154 invitees were Ghosn's family and friends, including children, sisters, cousins, and friends, mainly Lebanese. The chef at the dinner was Dukas, a celebrity chef with three Michelin-starred restaurants.
However, at a press conference held after Ghosn fled to Lebanon on January 8, 2020, he vowed that the dinner was for strictly professional purposes, despite the almost complete absence of Renault executives.
Another dinner noticed by prosecutors was also at the Palace of Versailles. In October 2016, Ghosn held a wedding with his current wife here. The banquet cost 50,000 euros.
Data sheet: Carlos Ghosn.
Another ongoing investigation by Paris prosecutors is also about Ghosn's misuse of company assets and "serious corruption" involving contracts signed in the name of Renault-Nissan Private Limited (RNBV). The Dutch-owned business owner is Ghosn, and on the surface is a subsidiary of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Former President Sarkozy's Attorney General and current Paris mayoral candidate Daddy and others have been accused of receiving millions of euros through the company in the name of "lawyer fees."
Earlier, the Japanese prosecutors have filed a number of allegations against Ghosn: including concealing huge personal income, misappropriating company funds, passing on personal investment losses to the company, and serious breach of trust.
On February 12, 2020, Nissan filed a civil lawsuit against Ghosn in the District Court of Tokyo, Japan, demanding compensation for EUR 83.4 million in economic losses. Nissan claimed that Ghosn had previously misappropriated company funds and other "corrupt practices" that caused losses to Nissan.
On November 19, 2018, Ghosn was arrested in Japan on charges of concealing huge personal income and misappropriating company funds. It was then closely monitored in a Tokyo-based apartment and was originally scheduled for trial in Japan in April 2020. However, at the end of 2019, Ghosn staged a "transnational escape" and successfully fled to Beirut, Lebanon.