Ghosn, Nissan Indicted in Japan
Nissan and former executives Carlos Ghosn and Greg Kelly were formally indicted for violations of Japan’s financial instruments and exchange law.

Japanese prosecutors have officially charged former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn with underreporting tens of millions of dollars in compensation over a five-year period.
Photo by Adam Tinworth via Flickr
TOKYO — Nissan Motor Co. and its erstwhile chairman, Carlos Ghosn, were formally charged with financial crimes in Japan Monday. Also indicted was former representative director Greg Kelly, who was arrested along with Ghosn Nov. 19 on charges that resulted from an internal investigation at Nissan.
Directors claimed to have uncovered numerous financial irregularities, including millions of dollars in unreported income. The board shared their findings with Japanese prosecutors and ousted Ghosn and Kelly shortly following their arrests. Ghosn also drew compensation from Renault and Mitsubishi as part of a nearly 20-year-old three-factory alliance. Renault has appointed an acting chief executive but has yet to officially remove Ghosn as chairman and CEO.
Ghosn, 64, and Kelly, 62, were indicted for conspiring to underreport Ghosn’s income over a five-year period that ended in March 2015. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a 10 million yen ($89,000) fine. Nissan faces a potential fine of up to 700 million yen ($6.2 million) for its role in the alleged crimes.
Ghosn and Kelly were also rearrested Monday on new charges pertaining to income earned between 2015 and 2017, almost certainly prolonging their three-week detention. The Japanese legal system allows authorities to hold suspects without bail for 72 hours after their arrest and seek a court order for another 20 days, all without charge. Prosecutors there are allowed to interrogate suspects without their attorneys present, and they enjoy a conviction rate unheard of in American courts: Only about 1% of cases brought to trail in Japan result in an acquittal or dismissal.
The nature of the system discourages public comment from detainees and defendants. Ghosn has yet to issue a statement since his arrest. In a press release, Nissan’s board pledged to step up their internal compliance efforts.
“Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously,” directors wrote, in part. “Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissan’s public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret.”
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Industry

First-Half Dealership Deals Up
Buy-sell activity shows that acquirers are looking for value and scale as many retailers seek to leave an increasingly competitive and complex market, Kerrigan Advisors reports.
Read More →
Kia Closes Out Summer With a Bang
Its U.S. subsidiary broke multiple records in August, in part due to a surge of demand for hybrids models.
Read More →
Indiana Dealership Changes Hands
A 30-year-old Ford dealership in Indiana has a new owner and will soon be undergoing renovations to meet manufacturer requirements.
Read More →
Texas Dealership No Longer in the Family
The Ford store, a longtime cornerstone of the Houston market, is now part of one of the fastest-growing U.S. auto groups.
Read More →
Genesis Grows California Presence
The Cardinale Automotive Group opened its third Genesis rooftop in the Golden State, Genesis of San Bruno, a stand-alone dealership serving the San Francisco Bay Area.
Read More →
August Auto Sales a Mixed Bag
An early forecast shows strong business despite consumer hurdles, and hybrids are a big piece of their affordability coping strategy.
Read More →
EV Market Humming Along
July sales show steady growth as the segment stabilizes from last year’s artificial surge following pullback of federal support.
Read More →
Auto Loan Delinquency Rates Stabilize
Auto loans are a main driver of nonmortgage consumer debt, but delinquency rates stabilized in the second quarter across all credit risk tiers.
Read More →
EV Sales Recover in Q2
The EV sales roller coaster continues as numbers show improvement, but industry experts predict a year-over-year third-quarter decline and fourth-quarter jump.
Read More →
The Cheapest Hybrids to Fuel
The powertrain is increasing in popularity, in no small part due to its fuel economy. A new report lists the most efficient hybrids on the market.
Read More →