2 Americans Accused Of Helping Carlos Ghosn Escape Are Extradited To Japan
An American father and son who allegedly aided former Nissan Motors Chairman Carlos Ghosn flee Japan have been extradited to Tokyo, where they face up to three years in prison if convicted.
Ghosn, an internationally wanted fugitive, fled Japan in a
daring December 2019 escape as he awaited trial on financial misconduct
charges. He apparently passed undetected through airport security before
entering a private jet. Ghosn ultimately arrived in Lebanon, which has no
extradition treaty with Japan. Ghosn is a citizen of Lebanon, France and
Brazil.
Japanese authorities believe U.S. Army Special Forces
veteran Michael Taylor and his son Peter were paid at least $1.3 million to
help Ghosn flee.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed
to NPR Tuesday that the two men were extradited. According to Reuters, they
were met by authorities Tuesday at Tokyo's Narita airport, where they were
escorted via bus to a detention center.
The two men had been held in a Massachusetts jail since May
as they fought extradition. Their lawyers argued they could not be prosecuted
in Japan for helping someone jump bail and that they would be subject to
"mental and physical torture" in the custody of Japanese authorities,
according to The Associated Press.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way
for the Taylors' extradition, denying a request for an emergency stay of a
lower court order allowing them to be sent to Japan.
"This is a sad day for the family, and for all who
believe that veterans deserve better treatment from their own country,"
their lawyer, Paul Kelly, said in a statement Monday.
Michael Taylor, a former Green Beret, worked as a private
security consultant, specializing in rescuing abducted children and extracting
people from complex situations abroad. Taylor does not deny helping Ghosn, even
providing details of the operation in an interview published last year in
Vanity Fair.
Ghosn, who is credited with helping lead Nissan back from
the brink of bankruptcy, was nonetheless ousted by the automaker in November
2018 amid allegations of financial impropriety. Less than a month after he was
forced out of Nissan, Japanese authorities charged him with underreporting his
personal income, and later of breach of trust and misappropriation of Nissan
funds.
Following his escape from Japan, Ghosn held a news
conference in Lebanon to complain about his treatment in prison.
He said during his 130 days in custody, he had been
subjected to "solitary confinement," and "interrogated days and
night up to eight hours, obviously without the presence of a lawyer."
"Why am I being treated like a terrorist in Japan, like
somebody who's going to hurt other people? What did I do to deserve this
treatment? That's what I don't understand," he said.
Japan has been criticized by rights groups such as Human
Rights Watch for its system of "hostage justice." Human Rights Watch
says suspects are subjected to harsh interrogations, denied the right to an
attorney and can be detained without bail for up to 23 days before indictment.
Ghosn, who also led the French automaker Renault, is also
reportedly facing legal issues in France for alleged tax evasion and money
laundering, according to The Associated Press.
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