Japan tax agency finds Ghosn used Nissan money for private use: report

Hmmm, interesting...

A tax official told Reuters that the agency could not comment on individual cases. A Nissan spokeswoman said the automaker was checking the newspaper report. Lawyers for Ghosn did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

Even before the court case the slurs are coming thick and fast!

Japan’s tax office is releasing information concerning a legal case yet to come to trial.

What hypocrisy is this?

While the finding has not led to a criminal case, it backs up Nissan's claim that Ghosn improperly used the company's money, the newspaper said.

This was probably known for quite a long time, as it has not led to any criminal charges, and could very well have been a simple mistake. Relatively speaking it is a small amount of money in the bigger picture of what Ghosn is being charged with and accused of here. They are working together to find any straw they can. It is not all that unusual for the tax office to find things in large businesses that are "taxable" or that could be missed somewhere along the way.

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Just the facts:  1.4 million US over several years to pay for stuff like - consultant's fees to his sister for fictitious work and to make donations to a university in Lebanon.

That's no oversight.

It's intentional misappropriation of funds.

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It’s telling that what’s described in this article is an administrative mistake and no charges have been filed but it’s posted to the Crime section of this site.

Japan’s tax office is releasing information concerning a legal case yet to come to trial.

What hypocrisy is this?

I think this information not by tax office, tax office will give to designated law enforcement about this information. What happens after that usually what is called  one sided leak-based media strategy, while Ghosn couldn't say anything publicly for his case

no sources, just another hack job while this mockery of justice continues. Given that the other guy actually confessed and stepped down nothing happened to him. This will just continue to put Japan in a bad light but they don't see that

The Japanese newspaper, without citing sources, said 

This is quite an extensive article and damaging accusation to be produced without siting any source. This article lacks credibility and if found to be untrue it is nothing more than slander.

National Tax Agency found Ghosn used Nissan money for several years to pay consultant's fees to his sister for fictitious work and to make donations to a university in Lebanon.

You can't bolster your case for information that was already known and disclosed to the public. There is absolutely no new information here.

The Japanese newspaper, without citing sources, said the National Tax Agency found Ghosn used Nissan money for several years to pay consultant's fees to his sister for fictitious work and to make donations to a university in Lebanon.

So just how are these two connected?

Nissan recorded some 150 million yen ($1.4 million) as secretary's office expenses for three years through March 2014. But the agency ordered Nissan to pay tax on the amount after judging the expenditure was for private use and should not have been deducted as expenses from corporate income, the Yomiuri reported.

They have to do a better job of providing evidence that his sister did "ficticious" work. Just saying so, and trying to infer that these "office expenses" was where the money came from, is not enough to hang the guy.

Just the facts: 1.4 million US over several years to pay for stuff like - consultant's fees to his sister for fictitious work and to make donations to a university in Lebanon.

That's no oversight.

It's intentional misappropriation of funds.

There is no mention in the article, nor anywhere so far that the 1.4 million went to his sister or the university.

There are no "facts" to prove Ghosn is guilty of anything, just assumptions by you! You are trying to connect two parallel lines!

No to mention that the tax office ordered them to pay tax on the money, that's all. The finding led to NO CRIMINAL case!

It’s telling that what’s described in this article is an administrative mistake and no charges have been filed but it’s posted to the Crime section of this site.

excellent point

There is no mention in the article, nor anywhere so far that the 1.4 million went to his sister or the university.

> There are no "facts" to prove Ghosn is guilty of anything, just assumptions by you! You are trying to connect two parallel lines!

> No to mention that the tax office ordered them to pay tax on the money, that's all. The finding led to NO CRIMINAL case!

exactly. They are desperate to try to link him to anything

Nissan recorded some 150 million yen ($1.4 million) as secretary's office expenses for three years through March 2014.

Looks like someone in the tax office should loose their job for not finding it in 2014. Five years later and now it's a problem? I though auditors were supposed to be thorough in their job? Five years! Never noticed it?

If only they would widen the search to catch more of these greed merchants instead of just going after one.

Chill conspirators...the tax office is basically recalculating tax owed. In Japan, fringe benefits are classified as income. Obviously Ghosn, Nissan previously classified them as deduction, and now that evidence daylighted the benefits as wholly personal benefits, they are reclassified as income and thus tax to be withheld or paid.

OK, first there is this.

The Japanese newspaper, without citing sources, said the National Tax Agency found Ghosn used Nissan money for several years to pay consultant's fees to his sister for fictitious work and to make donations to a university in Lebanon.

So, this was leaked to Yomiuri Shimbun, but the source of the leak was not disclosed. It would either have to be the NTA, the MOJ / Prosecutors' Office, or Nissan.

Obviously if it comes from the NTA itself, that would be a very serious breach of confidentiality restrictions.

If it came from the MOJ / Prosecutor's Office, that wouldn't surprise, as they have been leaking continuously since Ghosn was detained.

But then I saw this.

A Nissan spokeswoman said the automaker was checking the newspaper report.

Which implies that Nissan knows nothing about this. Right??

However, then I saw this:

The Yomiuri said Nissan had already filed a correction and paid additional tax of around several tens of millions of yen(several hundred thousand dollars).

Which means that Nissan DOES know about this, since they would have to know about it in order to file a correction and pay the additional tax.

Which tells me that J management at Nissan is probably the source of the leak. Which wouldn't surprise, as they were the ones that wanted Ghosn gone!!!

Which tells me that J management at Nissan is probably the source of the leak. Which wouldn't surprise, as they were the ones that wanted Ghosn gone!!!

And are probably leaking it because Ghosn's lawyers are charging collusion in the case and looking to have all charges dropped!

Even if it is a leak, that does not alter the fact that Nissan (not Ghosn himself) got hit up for underpayment of taxes. If anything this is further evidence of poor and/or corrupt management within Nissan. It does not add anything to what was already know about Ghosn himself.

Donations to a university in Lebanon? Where else has Nissan made donations to?

The work his sister did was fictitious?

Says who? How would they know? 

So who told the tax agency that the work done was fictitious?

Not much to see here but more of the same collusion, methinks

The moment Nissan declared to have found in their internal investigation that payments made were for private use of Mr. Ghosn they inadvertently invited the tax office. Such payments are not deductible from income and therefore taxes are due. Whether Nissan's findings are correct is not the tax office's concern. If Nissan states as it did taxes need to be paid.

The work his sister did was fictitious?

Says who? How would they know? 

Says Nissan.

‘..payment of sums totaling more than 750,000 U.S. dollars to Ghosn’s sister on the basis of a fictitious consulting contract, starting in 2003 and extending for over 10 years with no evidence of any services having been rendered;..”

Some posters need to read post from “Who am I” instead of coming up with ridiculous conspiracy theories. It’s that simple.

Incredible the sheer vastness of resources, time, energy and monies being put into the pursuit of one man by a collaborative effort of the police, judiciary, companies and government.

If such an effort was put into the investigation of other Industry Leaders and Top Politicians, we'd be witness to the biggest clean out since Meiji.

But no - those are protected by the system of nepotism, favouritism and complicity set in place and outsiders such as Ghosn are not privy to that - well not here anyway.

I guess he's more Japanese than we thought after spending so long here. I mean, that's what people here do all the time, lest we forget Masuzoe and the hundreds of other politicians and CEOs (it's worse for politicians who use tax money, but they get zero punishment).

Just the facts: 1.4 million US over several years to pay for stuff like - consultant's fees to his sister for fictitious work and to make donations to a university in Lebanon.

@semperfi

The only way you can use the word fact is if you have the actual financial documents to prove it. If you do, then share those documents. Because if you don't and if we are just phrasing what people say then it is still considered hearsay.

It would appear that the prosecution really want to prove the defence correct with its collusion claims, using once again a source that can not be named with a wishey washy story. The man was in charge of a global company, it's not like he dragged it into debt. Quite the opposite actually.

Japans appalling legal system really is getting desperate now.

It has now resorted to trail by hearsay.

Incredible the sheer vastness of resources, time, energy and monies being put into the pursuit of one man by a collaborative effort of the police, judiciary, companies and government.

The evidence says otherwise, the evidence says up until Nissan says the benefits weren't tax deductible OR weren't due to Ghosn, the tax office was blissfully blind to it all.

Either way, even Ghosn's team doesn't deny the benefits, Ghosn's team has actually said he was entitled to it, and they will provide evidence to prove it. As to whether he can furnish a remuneration committee's signed documents approving ALL the benefits, that's the challenge.

As for the tax office, they just want the extra tax, it'd be difficult to haul Ghosn over the coal for this.

As for the tax office, they just want the extra tax, it'd be difficult to haul Ghosn over the coal for this.

I would have thought that this disclosure by the tax office violates public servant protocol. (hence the term undisclosed source).

I many (advanced) countries, if such a breach happened during a criminal investigation, the civil servant responsible would face investigation and possible criminal charges.

But lets not forget. This is Japan.

Sh1mon M4sadaToday 02:00 pm JST

Incredible the sheer vastness of resources, time, energy and monies being put into the pursuit of one man by a collaborative effort of the police, judiciary, companies and government.

The evidence says otherwise, the evidence says up until Nissan says the benefits weren't tax deductible OR weren't due to Ghosn, the tax office was blissfully blind to it all...."

Thanks for the reply, but can't fathom the relationship between my comment and your comment.

Perhaps you mis-interpreted. Please comment again.

So it's OK for the tax office in Japan to disclose details of people.

The tax office should hold an investigation and be investigated.

Ghosn couldn't say anything publicly for his case

If you mean that Mr Ghosn can't speak, it's not the case. Himself directly, his lawyers and other PR team have spoken a lot.

Now if you mean he has nothing to say as his defense... Well, it seems so.

What can you say after hiring your sister at million for doing the Ipanema girl ?

Ghosn's team has actually said he was entitled to it, and they will provide evidence to prove it. 

I'm curious to know what kind of evidence that could be.

Just shows that Trump supporters... oops Ghosn supporters refuse to believe any facts that are released and only believe what they want to hear. Oh well...

Fabrications. Prosecution office is running out of obtains!