Carlos Gonn, a former chief executive of Nissan, is in ongoing litigation amid allegations of financial irregularities.
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Carlos Gon said he would receive a “fair trial” in France after being arrested in the latest in a series of charges against the disgraced former automotive executive.
Speaking to CNBC in Beirut on Friday, Gon said he trusted the French judiciary to treat him properly, even if he did not receive the same treatment from the media and the wider public.
“I think yes, I can get a fair trial,” he told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.
“I will not get fair treatment, but I will get a fair trial,” he said, citing the apparently disproportionate media coverage of lavish parties and excessive spending during his tenure as CEO of cars.
French authorities on Thursday issued an international arrest warrant for the former CEO of Renault-Nissan, who famously exceeded the guarantee in Japan and fled to Lebanon in a box.
The order concerns the investigation of allegations of 15 million euros ($ 16.2 million) in suspicious payments between Renault and a car dealership in Oman during Gon’s term. The charges include misappropriation of company assets, corruption and money laundering.
Four others, including current owners or former directors of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, were also issued with arrest warrants.
This is the latest in a series of charges against the former automotive chief, who was first arrested in Japan in November 2018 and charged with numerous financial crimes while driving Nissan. Gon denies all charges.
“Suspicious” moment
Gon said Friday that he was not surprised by the arrest warrant, describing it as part of a “natural process” for French investigators. However, he said he was surprised to learn about it not from the authorities but in a newspaper.
“What surprised me was the fact that I learned about it when I read in an American newspaper,” he said, citing the Wall Street Journal, which published the news Thursday.
Gonn added that the timing of the order was “suspicious” given Sunday’s upcoming presidential election in France.
Both President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right rival, Marine Le Pen, have taken a hard line on paying CEOs before Sunday’s presidential run-off as public scrutiny of France’s top executives grows. The French government is also the largest shareholder in Renault.
Asked about the time of the arrest warrant, he said he could not speculate.
“I do not know. I can’t speculate on that. Honestly, the weather is more than suspicious. Do you know why you want to do it today? Why do it on Friday? Why can’t you do it on Monday, I mean? This is something that has been going on for years, “he said.
Spokesmen for the French Ministry of Justice and the French government were not available as soon as CNBC contacted them for comment.
However, Gon said he expects each hearing to be independent, no matter who wins.
“Fortunately, in France, justice is somehow independent of political power, which is clearly not the case in Japan,” he said. Gon has repeatedly criticized the Japanese legal system as it continues to prosecute him for alleged financial crimes during his tenure at Nissan.
Meanwhile, Japanese officials have denied Gon’s claims, defending the country’s judiciary as “fair and open”. The Ministry of Justice of Japan published an article of 3000 words in 2020, in which it outlines questions and answers about its attitude towards criminals. A spokesman for the Japanese Ministry of Justice was not available as soon as CNBC contacted him for comment.
Gon’s spokesman said earlier Friday that he would be happy to be tried in France to clear his name. However, the feasibility of this remains questionable.
Gon is banned from leaving Lebanon as he is still subject to extradition from Japan. Although this request is unlikely to be approved, his passport is currently held by Lebanese authorities.
The Brazilian-born car titan was raised in Beirut and is a citizen of Brazil, France and Lebanon. As a Lebanese citizen, he is protected from extradition.
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