US judge authorizes extradition of alleged accomplices of Carlos Ghosn
Former Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 JOSEPH EID AFP / File
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A US federal judge on Thursday gave the green light for the extradition to Japan of two Americans, arrested in May 2020 and suspected of helping former Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn to flee the country.
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Judge Indira Talwani considered that the arguments put forward by Michael Taylor and his son Peter Taylor, according to which in particular they risked being subjected to conditions close to torture in Japanese prisons, were not sufficient to derogate from the Treaty of extradition between Tokyo and Washington.
"
Even though prison conditions in Japan might be deplorable, and even though the criminal process to which the Taylors will be subjected might not satisfy the American due diligence process,
" the Japanese conditions do not constitute "
" severe suffering or mental and physical suffering "as envisaged by the texts
", wrote the judge in his decision of 29 pages.
In addition, the two men have not established "
that it was more likely than not that they would be subjected to torture in Japan,
" he added.
The judge also underlined that the facts with which they are accused constituted an offense both in the United States and in Japan.
Michael Taylor, a former member of the US special forces converted to private security, and his son Peter were arrested in May 2020 after Japan issued an arrest warrant against them.
Peter Taylor was arrested in Boston while on his way to Lebanon, a country where the former head of the Renault-Nissan automotive alliance took refuge and which has no extradition treaty with Japan .
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Leak of Carlos Ghosn: a year later, a still sprawling affair
Considered to present a "
great risk of absconding
", the Taylor father and son had been imprisoned since, pending the outcome of the extradition procedure.
The two men, as well as the Lebanese George-Antoine Zayek, are accused by Japan of having helped the fallen car tycoon escape Japanese justice during a spectacular escape on December 29, 2019.
Affected by complaints of financial embezzlement, Carlos Ghosn was then free on bail.
According to US court documents, the three men helped him hide in a large slush fund, similar to a musical instrument cabinet, which they then boarded a private jet, the control baggage was not compulsory for this type of device at the time.
Lawyers for the Taylors immediately appealed this decision, but it is not immediately clear how quickly this appeal could be considered.
(AFP)
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