crime

Ghosn's wife back in Japan for questioning

63 Comments
By Kazuhiro Nogi

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63 Comments
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The prosecutors sure seem to be pulling at straws if they need to question the wife here. Was she an employee of Nissan?

1 ( +17 / -16 )

That’s quite a bald move. I hope she’s ready to face Japan hostage justice, where they can detain for 22 days and using multiple charge to detain people more longer. Not including waiting time to be ready for court in detention for months.

10 ( +21 / -11 )

I assume they will soon confiscate any other of her passports.... then charge and detain her aiming for a hostage confession/prosecution without bail..

8 ( +19 / -11 )

The prosecutors sure seem to be pulling at straws if they need to question the wife here. Was she an employee of Nissan?

No, they are not pulling at straws; it's called due diligence.

According to the Kyodo news agency, Tokyo investigators suspect that allegedly syphoned funds for Carlos Ghosn's personal use transited through a company run by Carole Ghosn.

That said, I am stunned she would return to Japan for any reason given the flawed "justice" system here.

25 ( +28 / -3 )

IMHO, jumping/conclusion ^^^.

If money was transfered to a company controlled by Carole Ghosn, surely Carlos deserve a chance to clarify why it was transfered, eg Nissan might have a deal to compensate Carole.

I'll wait for Carole's response to questions before forming a view.

Having said above, I think it's the right moral thing to rather than plead the fifth.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Hide the passports

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Surprising that she came back. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Wow! This case just keeps getting stranger. I did not think she would return.

17 ( +17 / -0 )

Is it possible she negotiated with the prosecutors to testify as a witness as long as they didn't throw her into detention? Just wondering. Also, maybe Ghosn's lawyer asked, begged her to come back, as it does seem to make both of them look a little more guilty.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

She is crazy to come back to japan. Now she will get the same illegal detention as Ghosn to try to force a confession.

4 ( +17 / -13 )

She is crazy to come back to japan. Now she will get the same illegal detention as Ghosn to try to force a confession.

It's not illegal detention. Japanese law, however flawed, allows for it.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

She is being question as a witness only. She has not been charged with anything (yet), so she cannot be put in detention. In most countries, a wife's testimony cannot be used against or for a husband's trial, but not in Japan. Their court system is as unscrupulous as their business practices.

4 ( +19 / -15 )

Also, maybe Ghosn's lawyer asked, begged her to come back, as it does seem to make both of them look a little more guilty.

That makes sense to me. They have Carlos Ghosn over a barrel. I know it sounds naive but I sure hope the whole truth comes out eventually...

14 ( +14 / -0 )

I am actually shocked that she came back to face this 3rd world justice system. there must be more to this story. But I was so shocked to hear this I nearly spit out my coffee.

5 ( +16 / -11 )

thats a very bad move... I would replace the lawyer that advised this

0 ( +8 / -8 )

" That person can invoke it or waive it."

As is the case in Japan.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Wow..... Japan Incorporated at its ugliest.

1 ( +11 / -10 )

Quite soon after she arrived in France, I saw a news report that quoted her as saying she would return to Tokyo and submit to questioning, so I wasn’t surprised, except maybe at the quick timing. Seems a lot of people missed that news.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

What’s the bet they find something to charge her with and put her in detention too? That would not surprise me in the least.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Why can’t she cooperate with prosecutors via video chat?

5 ( +11 / -6 )

shouldn't have come back, she's going to be jailed by the clown court and denied any chance of a fair trial or chance to. defend herself.

3 ( +13 / -10 )

Gutsy move coming back! Time will tell if it was a good one or not.

She is either crazy or has more nads than most of us posting here!

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Quite soon after she arrived in France, I saw a news report that quoted her as saying she would return to Tokyo and submit to questioning, so I wasn’t surprised, except maybe at the quick timing. Seems a lot of people missed that news.

Exactly. Reckon most ppl on here do not watch/read the news, JT's threads & their comments/opinions 'are' the news.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

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The prosecutors will not arrest her.

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They did not seize her US passport bc they confiscate stuff for evidence.

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Apparently the Lebanese passport had 'evidence' which the US passport did not.

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-8 ( +6 / -14 )

Seems like the prosecutors keep screwing up. Why do they continue to arrest him on allegations which they have no evidence or proof of? You would think they realized he's not the type to plead guilty, whether he did anything wrong or not. They need to arrest him with evidence, all of this is just making them look bad, sloppy, and ineffective, along with the system in place.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

thats a very bad move... I would replace the lawyer that advised this

I don't know why so many people on this thread are appearing to have made up their mind already about guilt or the way the Japanese justice system work.

For me, this is the ONLY move by the Ghosn camp that makes any sense during this entire saga.

This move says, I've got nothing to hide, go for it, make my day, it's a move typical of an innocent person. If I was the lawyer, I would be happy with this move.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

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She returned to Japan for several reasons

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Macron ignored her and the French J D in effect washed their hands of Ghosn's case as it is played out in Japan.

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Ghosn is under investigation in France ( as Renault has passed compromising documents to the French prosecutors) and so, likely it may be 'safe'r for her i n J apan

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Carole's absence from Japan would make it more difficult for the defence team to secure release for Carlos .

it's a strategic move one her part.- Probably well advised by their French lawyers.

.

3 ( +11 / -8 )

“which they have no evidence or proof of”

Are you sure the prosecutors have no evidence? How do you know that?

5 ( +9 / -4 )

How long does it take for the prosecution in Japan to make a case?

And now they want to interview the wife as a witness?

I doubt my wife would be happy with doing that wether I were a law breaker or not.

And if the prosecution do not get the answers they want it’ll be ‘you are being evasive because you wish to protect your husband’ or such like!

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Are you sure the prosecutors have no evidence? How do you know that?

I don't know it, but if they had evidence, he would have already been charged. That's how Japan works. They don't need to interrogate someone for months if they have evidence, they just charge the person.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

YubaruToday  06:49 am JST

The prosecutors sure seem to be pulling at straws if they need to question the wife here. Was she an employee of Nissan?

This article doesn't get into specifics, but no she is not employee of Nissan. Ghosn is accused of funneling money to a foreign company where the wife is a director and also as ties to the shady Omani company. It all makes sense!

Clearly, she knows her company was accepting unlawful money and she got scared and left Japan. pretty obvious. After she left Japan in a panic, her lawyer told her shes not being indicted and prosecutors just want to ask questions, so then she came back.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

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@ Joe Yan

You got it ! :-)

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Also it will make it easier for the defense to argue for Carlos release if his wife is NOT out of the country - though he did breech bail agreement by tweeting..

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She was advised to return.

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0 ( +6 / -6 )

It seems that she would be back because she could not get much help from French government. She would be not accused if she told them and did not know anything about money from Nissan while questioning. However what she has done seems guilty. Prosecutors may consider she is an accomplice because she got away from Japan by another passport although she should have stayed.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

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@ Bugle Boy of Company B: Why can’t she cooperate with prosecutors via video chat?

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Optics

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2 ( +8 / -6 )

Well if they are both reading the comments here, everything will be as clear as mud.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Wow very surprised she returned and kudos to her. However if she is guilty of money laundering as suspected then she deserves whatever is coming to her

1 ( +7 / -6 )

she had to come back if the whole premise of his defense is that he did nothing wrong.

but even if he technically did nothing illegal, seems pretty shady...

3 ( +8 / -5 )

@Reckless: So sad. She made a tragic mistake

.

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No. It's a smart move.

I think - for one thing - she realized France was not going to interfere with the J justice system.

Her hope was that the French Justice Dept would protest.

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But Renault has a bag full of evidence against Ghosn which it has passed to French prosecutors.

Realizing that France was not the panacea she had hoped, she leaned on the advise of the French lawyers to return to Japan.

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It would look better for Ghosn if his wife was not out of the country.

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Besides, the Japanese prosecution is NOT going to arrest her.

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They have evidence, and they want to question her on that evidence -l ike lawyers do in EVERY case- even in No America.

And if w potential witness is not willing to cooperate, lawyers will issue a subpoena.

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It happens all the time.

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That's all.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

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She probably picked up a new laptop for herself on the round trip, as well. :-)

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-3 ( +4 / -7 )

“And now they want to interview the wife as a witness?”

It is suspected that money was funneled through Carole’s shell company (Beauty Yachts). Why is it so surprising to many here that prosecutors want to question her?

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Very brave or very stupid that she came back, they have no connection to Nissan, so should just quietly leave, forfeit the bail, as a fine to reimburse Nissan and GO.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Euro DudeToday  11:13 am JST

Very curious about what will happen to her. Want to bet she will get arrested and hostage hold for a couple of weeks too?

A rich whites don't get special treatment here. If she is guilty of a crime, she will the prosecuted accordingly.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

"voluntary investigation" is basically a prelude to arrest unless there is a confession that puts the other person in full guilt. I would be surprised if we dont have arrested news tomorrow....

1 ( +4 / -3 )

MOJ/GOV unable to obtain a confession from Carlos now aims at his spouse! And goes without saying this photo of her displayed in the crime section is wrong on so many levels! What next? Their children? The prosecution office will stop at nothing to save face.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Why is it so surprising to many here that prosecutors want to question her?

Because in Japan, confession has more weight than paper trails. Doesn't matter if you have tons of evidence, as long as the person confessed, that person is guilty. A quick google search will reveal how they have manipulated the law just to convict an innocent person.

If there are evidences, there's no need for questioning. That's how antiquated Japan injustice system is. That's how incompetent the prosecutors are.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Why should'nt she cme back to Japan?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

semperfi said -

"...though he did breech bail agreement by tweeting.."

Do you have any proof or links to that? I understood the tweet to be within the set "rules" of his bail. His lawyers explained it as such and no follow up action has been taken by authorities, which seems to confirm that point.

And you said -

"...She was advised to return...."

From very early on she had stated on her own "..I'll be back..". She said she would never abandon her husband, she had "things to do" and that she will return.

She did just that.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

“What next? Their children?”

Well, since Anthony Ghosn’s company, Shogun Investments, has been mentioned as one of the routes supposedly used to funnel money, that could happen.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

A shredding we will go, a shredding will go, hi ho, a merry o, I shredding will go.

then we’ll come aback, then we’ll come aback, hi ho, a merry o, then we’ll come aback.

the evidence is suddenly ghosn, the evidence is suddenly ghosn, hi ho a merry o, the evidence is suddenly gone.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I mean guilty or not thats a bllsy move to return to a place where you may or may not be detained indefinitely*.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

It's not illegal detention. Japanese law, however flawed, allows for it.

very few no democratic countries apply indefinite detention unless its for the most serious of crimes like terrorism and the people involved are a threat to public safety. Ghosn is none of those yet they keep him in detention to force a confession, its a type of phsyological torture which has shown on a number of occasions to make people admit guilt to crimes they didnt comit. Just prey none of those on here have family members fall prey to this draconian system, im sure their faith in this legal system will change dramatically. like ive stated many times if Ghosn is guilty then let the prosecutors show their evidence in court and if its shown with undeniable proof hes guilty then he can rot in prison for all I care. This flawed system clearly puts too much power in the prosecutors hands which opens them up to corruption, proven a number of times in the past and Im sure more will be exposed in the future.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

A shredding we will go, a shredding will go, hi ho, a merry o, I shredding will go.

a forced confession well go , a forced confession well go when weve so flimsy evidence, a forced confession well go.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Why should'nt she cme back to Japan?

well if she gets thrown into indefinite detention then you'll have your answer

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Whats with the negative hysteria? she truly loves her husband, devoted love and support, not the type to run away with cash or material things like others, good women are a diamond in the rough.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

she truly loves her husband, devoted love and support, not the type to run away with cash or material things like others,

and She was using Nissan money as her own piggy bank. Nissan paid for her wedding. Paid for a Stanford education and financed her son's start up. I love you My Cherie now give some more money. LOL

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

At this point, a judge has nothing to rubber stamp. If prosecutors or police wish her to voluntarily attend an interview, her lawyer can be present, and she has th right to silence. Again she does not have to attend.

Procedures were not correctly followed with the initial arrest of her husband, and the "special investigation team" totally disregarded all procedures. The judge who issued the arrest warrant, of course, rubber stamped it.

Lets hope Japan's judiciary has learn't it's lesson from this embassesment.

Lets hope thete os massive judicial review in Japan.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Why should'nt she cme back to Japan?

well if she gets thrown into indefinite detention then you'll have your answer

I thought ot was ilegal in Japan to question a suspect, while anothet case is ongoing.

Yet again the judge has failed to act correctly. I understand Ghosns lawyer is protesting this.

Like I say, massive judicial reform is required. Judges must understand their countried own constitution and procedures, and this detention period o 23 days needs to be very seriously looked at.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Always speaking wisdom, “Nissan... Paid for a Stanford education and financed her son's start up.”

I’ve seen reports alleging Nissan money paid the Stanford tuition for all four of Carlos Ghosn’s children, but none about the tuition for Carole’s children, who I believe were already adults when she married Carlos. Do you have a link for that?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@semperfi gets it right, I think. French support for Ghosn has been notable by its absence. Ghosn is hated by Renault assembly line workers. Workers have said they are happy to see Ghosn in jail. It has also been reported that Ghosn was not on good terms with Macron. In the face of the yellow vest protests in France, Macron is unlikely to expend political capital helping Ghosn.

https://phys.org/news/2019-01-french-renault-workers-unmoved-ceo.html

I would also note that Ghosn may have a French passport, but he was born in Brazil and grew up in Lebanon. He went to elite French schools later in life, but his background is not French. Even Nicholas Sarkozy, who was born in France, was never fully accepted by the French establishment because of his lower class birth and Hungarian ancestry. Ghosn is even further removed from French elite status. A large fraction of his early career was spent at tire factories in France and the US, not a good way to become accepted as part of the French establishment.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

lucky he has her as wife.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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