Two Men Linked To Ghosn Escape On Way To Japan
Two Americans suspected of helping former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn flee to Lebanon have been handed over to Japanese authorities. They are now on a flight to Japan.
Tokyo prosecutors are believed to have arrested 60-year-old former US Green Beret Michael Taylor and his 28-year-old son Peter Taylor on charges including enabling a suspect to escape.
The two are suspected of hiding Ghosn in a large box and smuggling him out of Japan on a private jet when the former Nissan chairman was on bail in an alleged financial misconduct case in 2019.
In January, 2020, the Japanese prosecutors obtained arrest warrants for the Taylors. The two were arrested in Massachusetts in May.
In October, the US State Department approved the handover of the suspects to Japan.
On Monday, a plane carrying the two left the international airport in Boston.
Their lawyers had filed a petition to block their extradition to Japan, arguing that the clients would be treated unfairly. But US courts, including the country's top court, turned down the request.
Ghosn is unlikely to come back to Japan anytime soon, despite an international wanted notice issued for him by Interpol.
Lebanon's government says there is no legal problem with him staying in the country.