Ghosn’s prolific Versailles are part of the Beirut survey that is new to the automotive industry

On Monday, a delegation of French investigators in Beirut, Carlos Ghosn, Renault, Nissan Motor Co and former president of Mitsubishi Motors Corp., began questioning Beirut, who fled there for a year and a half to avoid trial in Japan.

Since Carlos Ghosne fled Lebanon a year and a half ago to avoid trial in Japan, his main legal risks have shifted to France, where the former executive car is accused of siphoning money from Renault SA to pay for the yacht and his wife’s birthday. .

A delegation of French investigators on Monday morning raided Renault, Nissan Motor Co. and began questioning the former president of Mitsubishi Motors Corp.. Here are the details of the French case and what is at stake for him:

Where is it happening?

Ghosn’s interrogation is taking place in the Main Hall of the Court of Cassation on the fourth floor of the Palace of Justice in Beirut. He must have been old enough to accommodate the large number of lawyers and investigators who are going to the hearing, including Lebanese prosecutor Imad Qabalan.

French investigators plan to stay in Lebanon for a week.

Why isn’t Ghosn traveling to France?

France does not normally extradite nationals. If this is the case, Ghosn may be in danger on his way from Lebanon. For him a potential nightmare scenario would be to direct Ghosn to a country that might be willing to extradite him to Japan in the middle of a flight.

Strange as it may seem, traveling abroad by French investigating magistrates is not to question suspicious listeners and will not be the first for Serge Tournaire, Ghosn’s main investigative. Two years ago, Tournaire traveled to Djibouti to question and denounce the former bank that focused on Libya’s alleged secret financing for the victorious 2007 presidential campaign.

The parties at the Palace of Versailles will also play a prominent role in the interrogations of French investigators, with inquiries into an incident that took place on the 60th anniversary of Carlos Ghosn and the 50th anniversary of his wife. [File: Lewis Joly/AP Photo]

What exactly is Ghosni accused of?

French authorities are investigating possible dealings with personal executives and possible travel and personal expenses with an Oman car dealer, as well as payments made to consultants by Dutch subsidiaries Renault and Nissan.

Many of the suspicions about Ghosn stem from information provided by Renault to the prosecutor, including a warning of millions of euros in payments to car dealer Suhail Bahwan Automobiles. Part of the money would be used to pay for the family’s sailboat and to fund Anthony’s son’s initial business. Ghosn has denied these allegations.

The festivities at the Palace of Versailles will also be notable, with questions about Ghosn’s 60th birthday and his wife’s 50th birthday celebrations.

Ghosn admitted in a televised interview that last year he made a “mistake” in approving the proposal to use the palace’s free hall to celebrate his wife’s birthday. But he added that he had never been told that the gift was removed from the credit he had earned by being a Renault assistant.

The latest set of allegations concerns the payments of advisers to French politician and lawyer Rachida Dati and security expert Alain Bauer. But both Dati and Bauer in France have already been questioned by investigating magistrates and neither of them was prosecuted.

In a statement released Monday morning, Ghosn’s lawyers denounced the “procedural irregularities” in the French probe, and say most of the evidence comes from a Japanese investigation.

What happens at the end of the questionnaire?

If Ghosn is credible, perhaps nothing will happen immediately or he could be named as a witness material, which is an intermediate situation.

If Ghosn’s explanations do not dispel the suspicions of French investigating magistrates, they will be charged with a process called “mise en examination” initiated when there are serious or consistent clues that show the former self-executive shows involvement.

Paradoxically, Ghosn is in favor of being indicted in the French case, according to his lawyers. They noted that his defense team could make procedural challenges and requests, instead of excluding certain witnesses from the investigation process.

Things could be more difficult for Ghosn if the magistrates choose another option and decide to issue an arrest warrant. This may make it difficult for former Renault leaders to influence the investigation, as they would not have access to the documents in the case file.

If the accusation lasted, how would the French trial behave?

Whether Ghosni is charged or not, the investigation will continue. Only at the end of the investigation do the investigating magistrates decide who should try the trial. Complex French research usually takes years to complete.