Portrait de Carlos Ghosn

Discover the timeline of events from the arrest of Carlos Ghosn on November 19th, 2018 in Japan to the press conference in Beirut on January 8th, 2020.

Nearly 14 months during which Carlos Ghosn never stopped claiming his innocence.

Documents, articles, official statements and explanations will allow you to live, step by step, the contours of what is today described as the case of an economic war.

19 November 2018

20 – 29 November 2018

Carlos Ghosn is dismissed from Nissan and Mitsubishi but not from Renault, where his removal takes time

30 November – 20 December 2018

>> Police custody and specific charges: Nissan and Renault take opposing positions

21 – 25 December 2018

Greg Kelly, entouré de policiers japonais, est libéré de prison fin décembre 2018. Copyright : Ryohei Moriya

New charges against Carlos Ghosn, Greg Kelly is granted bail

End of December 2018

>> Carlos Ghosn’s family and supporters left baffled following a fourth extension to his period in custody

04 – 09 January 2019

Dessin de Carlos Ghosn, le visage emmacié et les traits tirés, au tribunal de Tokyo le 08 janvier 2019. Copyright : Reuters

Carlos Ghosn appears in public for the first time in Tokyo’s Court, proclaims his innocence and asks for his release

10 – 11 January 2019

>> Carole Ghosn increases international pressure and exposes human rights violations

>> Renault reveals that its executives’ remuneration is fully compliant

>> Carlos Ghosn is charged on the two other counts

15 – 22 January 2019

23 – 24 January 2019

>> Carlos Ghosn claims his right to his pension and Jean-Dominique Sénard becomes the new head of Renault

28 January 2019

>> In France, Emmanuel Macron calls on Shinzo Abe

>> Nissan confirms the SEC’s required disclosure on executive compensation

30 January 2019

Carlos Ghosn, le bras levé et la main fixant un cap le 15 septembre 2017
Copyright : Eric Piermont / AFP

Carlos Ghosn counterattacks in the media and
continues to claim his innocence

5 – 13 February 2019

>> Renault’s lawyers outraged by how Nissan is conducting its internal investigation

>> Renault to audit expenses attributed to Carlos Ghosn and challenge his pension benefits

13 – 20 February 2019

Junichiro Hironaka devant la palais de justice de Tokyo répondant à la presse.
Crédits : Kei Higuchi

Carlos Ghosn gets a new defense team and launches the first attacks

26 February 2019

>> Anthony Ghosn and Carlos Ghosn’s lawyer in Lebanon to meet with Lebanese Prime Minister

04 – 06 March 2019

12 – 17 March 2019

>> Opening of an investigation in France

>> The Alliance’s revival plan against a backdrop of tensions

1 – 3 April 2019

>> Renault reports suspicious payments allegedly made by Carlos Ghosn to a partner in Oman and revokes Ghosn from his Board of Directors

04 April 2019

Voiture quittant le domicile de Carlos Ghosn devant une horde de journlaistes le 04 avril 2019 : la patron a été à nouveau arrête. Crédit photo : Kyodo news

Carlos Ghosn is rearrested by Japanese prosecutors

04 – 25 April 2019

09 – 22 May 2019

>> Revelations about the seizure of a computer in Beirut that is believed to be behind Carlos Ghosn’s re-arrest

>> Opening of the series of pre-trial hearings in Japan

26 May – 03 June 2019

Carole Ghosn en interview sur la chaîne américaine CNBC en juin 20198. Crédit photo : CNBC

International mobilization continues at the UN, in Brazil
and in the United States

04 – 06 June 2019

>> In France, suspicious expenses revealed

>> Renault misses out on the unmissable with FCA

09 June 2019

Hiroto Saikawa lors d'une conférence de presse en 2017. Crédit photo : Reuters / I. Kato

Greg Kelly: “I’m innocent, Saikawa knew everything”

end of June 2019

>> 23 June 2019 : Carlos Ghosn’s tax situation under the microscope

>> end of June 2019: the Ghosn family mobilized on the sidelines of the G20 in Osaka

03 – 12 July 2019

>> All over the world, investigators are looking for evidence, but it is in the Netherlands that Carlos Ghosn counterattacks and summons Nissan

24 – 26 July 2019

Logo de Renault-Nissan. Crédit photo : Renault - Nissan

Nissan and Renault announce disastrous financial results and a redundancy plan that cuts 12,500 jobs

August 2019

>> Concerted action by Carlos Ghosn’s friends and relatives

05 – 16 September 2019

Logo de Nissan sur un batiment de l'entreprise. Copyright  Phil Noble(Reuters)

Double standard: proven wrongdoing on the part of Nissan CEO Hiroto Saïkawa, and Hari Nada, Vice-President in charge of legal affairs

23 September 2019

>> The United States will not prosecute Carlos Ghosn: settlement with the SEC

04 – 08 October 2019

Hari Nada, directeur juridique de Nissan. Copyright : NIssan Motor Company

>> Hari Nada more heavily involved than had been suggested in the internal audit

>> Corporate governance at Nissan and Renault undermined by successive departures

07 – 13 October 2019

Carole Ghosn au micro de RTL le 08 octobre 2019. ELle appel Emmanuel MAcron à aider son mari. Crédit photo : Frederdic Bukajlo/SIPA |

Carole Ghosn denounces the lack of any response to the orchestrated plot against an innocent man

24 October 2019

Salle de presse du centre des correspondants de la presse étrangère à Tokyo. Conférence de presse des avocats de Carlos Ghosn le 24 octobre 2019. Crédit photo: ARab News

First attack by Carlos Ghosn’s defense team :
Extensive Prosecutorial Misconduct Warrants the Dismissal of the Case 
 

29 October 2019

>> Following the defense team’s direct hit, the Japanese tax authorities dig up a dispute with Nissan dating from…2014!

19 November 2019

22 November 2019

>> After 150 days, Carlos and Carole Ghosn are allowed an hour-long video call that is recorded by the Court

26 November – 18 December 2019

>> Former CEOs of Nissan and Renault undermine prosecution’s case with revelations and internal documents

20 – 30 December 2019

Les dirigeants de Nissan lors de la présentation des résultats financiers de 2019. Copyright: Nissan Motor Company

Nissan continues to struggle as more people leave, financial woes abound and in despite of new management team

30 December 2019

>> Carlos Ghosn arrival in Lebanon

02 – 07 January 2020

La ministre de la Justice japonaise, Masako Mori, lors d'un point de presse à Tokyo jeudi 9 janvier 2020. (BEHROUZ MEHRI / AFP)

Nissan and the Japan government under pressure in the face of the international outcry caused by Carlos Ghosn’s departure

08 January 2020

Former automotive executive Carlos Ghosn said he "fled injustice" in Japan at crowded press conference in Beirut. Photo: Maya Alleruzzo/Associated Press

Carlos Ghosn claims his innocence at a worldwide press conference