Lebanese court orders home eviction of former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn

Carlos Ghosn – the former CEO of Nissan and Renault who fled Japan while under house arrest for allegedly misusing corporate funds – has appealed an eviction notice which could result in the Lebanese national having to vacate the Beirut property he has lived in since late 2019.

The Japan Times reports Phoinos Investment, the investment firm which owns the house in Beirut, Lebanon, has accused Mr Ghosn of trespassing on the property since he fled from Japan almost four years ago.

According to court documents seen by the publication, Mr Ghosn and his lawyers have argued he has a right to live in the house as it was purchased for him to use by Nissan, claiming there is a contractual relationship linking the Lebanese national and Japanese car-maker.  

However, Phoinos Investment has argued he is no longer entitled to use the house because he is no longer employed by Nissan, who fired the then-chairman in April 2019 – six months after being arrested by Japanese authorities.

Nissan alleged its former CEO had under-reported his income, diverted corporate investment funds for private use, and misused company money – claims which Mr Ghosn has denied since they were made public.

While the Lebanese court found in favour of Phoinos Investment, Mr Ghosn’s lawyers have filed an appeal against the decision, with a spokesperson for the former executive saying in a media statement: “He [Ghosn] will now be able to present all the documents held up in Japan that he was unable to secure on time”.

The story of Mr Ghosn’s rise and fall has since been chronicled in two documentaries on streaming services Netflix and Apple TV+.

Between 1999 and 2001, Mr Ghosn ascended from Nissan’s Chief Operating Officer to president and finally Chief Executive Officer, becoming instrumental in the formation of the Renault-Nissan Alliance (later the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance).

In 2005, Mr Ghosn was appointed as Renault’s president before taking the CEO role in 2009 – becoming the first person to run two Fortune 500 companies (Nissan and Renault) at the same time.

Mr Ghosn stepped down as Nissan CEO in 2017, though he remained chairman until he was fired from the board in April 2019 – six months after being arrested by Japanese authorities.

Mr Ghosn completed two stints in jail across a combined total of 130 days, paying a bail of 1 billion yen (more than $AU10.5 million) before being placed under house arrest in April 2019.

On December 29, 2019, Mr Ghosn escaped from home detention and fled the country, aided by a US father and son team – Michael and Peter Taylor – who hid the former executive in a large musical instrument box on wheels which was loaded onto a private jet.

Despite also holding French and Brazilian citizenship, Mr Ghosn fled to his homeland of Lebanon which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

In July 2021, Michael and Peter Taylor were sentenced to jail time in Japan for assisting Mr Ghosn’s escape, receiving two-year and 20-month sentences respectively.

Five international arrest warrants were reportedly issued by a French magistrate in April 2022, though Ghosn continues to live a relatively normal life as a free man in Lebanon.

In June 2023, Mr Ghosn filed a lawsuit in a Lebanese court against Nissan – accusing the Japanese car-maker of defamation, slander, and libel against the former automotive executive.