Carlos Ghosn joins ranks of big-hitting white-collar fugitives

Carlos Ghosn’s surprising escape from Japan has made him one of the most famous white-collar fugitives in recent times, joining the likes of Malaysian businessman Jho Low and Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya.

The former head of Nissan Motor, and Renault SA, who was dealing with the trial in Japan for financial misconduct, defended the move by saying in a statement that he’ll “no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system.”

It’s not clear how Ghosn escaped as he’s been under house arrest and close surveillance since he was granted bail in April after his initial arrest in November 2018. He’s a citizen of Lebanon, and Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

Ghosn is held in high esteem in Lebanon. He also holds Brazilian and French citizenship. Ghosn’s lawyer Junichiro Hironaka stated his legal team has all of his passports, adding that it’s possible he entered Lebanon using a different name.

Some other high-profile fugitives from the business world who were in the news in recent times for their escapes include Jho Low, Christopher Skase, Jerome Kerviel, Vijay Mallya, and Nirav Modi.