Ghosn accuses Nissan 'backstabbing' executives of conspiracy

Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn has accused "backstabbing" Nissan executives of a "conspiracy" to have him arrested, in a televised speech on Tuesday.

In the video he said that the executives plotted against him over fears of a planned merge of Nissan with France's Renault. 

The video was recorded shortly before Ghosn was rearrested by prosecutors in Tokyo last week. 

Ghosn's wife Carole had said Ghosn would name "the people responsible" in the video. 

However, Ghosn did not accuse specific individuals, with his lawyer Junichiro Hironak saying the video had been edited to remove names.  

In the brief footage, played by the tycoon's lawyers at a press conference, Ghosn appeared at a desk wearing a white shirt and black suit jacket, saying repeatedly that he was "innocent of all the charges that have been brought against me". 

The 65-year-old, whose arrest came as a shock last November, denounced a "conspiracy" against him and alleged events had been "twisted in a way to paint a personage of greed, a personage of dictatorship". 

"This is about a plot, this is about conspiracy, this is about backstabbing," Ghosn said in the recording. 

He said his arrest was motivated by "a fear that the next step of the alliance in terms of convergence and in terms of moving towards a merger would in a certain way threaten some people or eventually threaten the autonomy of Nissan". 

Alongside heading Nissan, the auto tycoon also oversaw the alliance that groups the firm with Renault and Japan's Mitsubishi Motors. 

Tokyo's authorities rearrested Ghosn last week while out on bail after they announced they were investigating fresh allegations against him. 

A court has extended his detention until 14 April, when prosecutors can apply to hold him for an additional ten days before they must release him unless they bring charges or file fresh allegations. 

The Brazilian-born, Lebanese-French businessman was initially placed under arrest in Japan, following claims of financial misconduct. 
 
"The investigation showed that over many years both Ghosn and Kelly have been reporting compensation amounts in the Tokyo Stock Exchange securities report that were less than the actual amount, in order to reduce the disclosed amount of Carlos Ghosn's compensation," Nissan had said. 

Ghosn had been detained over transfers of $15 million belonging to Nissan funds between late 2015 and the middle of 2018 to a dealership in Oman, according to prosecutors.  

Approximately $5 million of these funds were pocketed for Ghosn's personal use, including for the purchase of a luxury yacht and financing his own investments. 

Nissan shareholders on Monday voted to remove Ghosn from the board, along with his former deputy Greg Kelly, who also faces charges in Tokyo. 

Ghosn has been replaced by Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard.