Former Nissan Chairman Ghosn sentenced to 4 years in prison, sentenced to trial in Paris court

[Paris Current Affairs] A criminal trial in a corruption case in which former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn (72) was accused of bribery and other charges was held on the 28th at a court in Paris, France. According to Le Figaro (electronic version), prosecutors recommended a four-year prison sentence, a fine of 375,000 euros (approximately 67 million yen), and a five-year ban on running a business. The sentencing date has been set for January 21 next year.

Ghosn fails to appear in first trial; corruption case to be tried in absentia - France

Ghosn has fled to Lebanon and has been absent from all hearings since his first trial on the 16th.

Former Culture Minister Dachi, 60, was charged with bribery and was sentenced to four years in prison (two years of which were suspended), a fine of 450,000 euros (approximately 81 million yen), and a five-year ban from public office. The defendant appeared in court and denied the charges.

Ghosn is said to have been paid 900,000 euros (approximately 161 million yen) in legal fees from the company that controls Nissan and French automaker Renault from 2009 to 2013, when he served as a member of the European Parliament. Prosecutors say this was payment for illegal lobbying activities.

According to media reports, prosecutors accused Ghosn at the trial of ``equating himself to the head of state'' and ``complicit in corrupting the institutions that support democracy.''