The former CEO of Nissan, Carlos Ghosn, has been entangled in numerous legal disputes since his arrest in 2018—followed by a dramatic escape—for alleged financial improprieties during his tenure at Nissan. Now, he faces another setback as the British Virgin Islands High Court has ruled against him. The court claims that his 121-foot Italian yacht, delivered in 2017, was improperly acquired using corporate funds. Consequently, the court has mandated Ghosn to return the yacht to Nissan.
In 2018, Ghosn was apprehended by Japanese authorities and charged with various offenses related to alleged financial misconduct while leading Nissan. After several periods in Japanese detention awaiting trial, he managed to flee Japan concealed in a musical instrument case, eventually reaching Lebanon, where he has stayed ever since. Over the past six years, French authorities have also filed charges against him for similar financial misdeeds at Renault, and Interpol has issued a red notice for his arrest. Despite his self-imposed exile in Lebanon—a country that does not extradite its citizens—legal actions against him have persisted globally. The yacht case marks the first official judgment against him.
The surrender of the yacht, a Custom Line Navetta 37 christened "Shachou" (meaning "The Boss" in Japanese), is just one aspect of the judgment. The court has also ordered Ghosn, his wife, and a shell company allegedly created by the couple to redirect funds to themselves, to compensate Nissan with $32 million in damages.
Ghosn, in a direct statement to Automotive News, declared that he is "obviously appealing." He remains adamant about his innocence in all the cases against him, claiming he was unjustly targeted by the Japanese government due to fears that Renault would dominate Nissan in the merger he orchestrated. The yacht, for now, remains in Beirut. As The Autopian noted, unless Ghosn decides to sail it to a country that cooperates with Interpol, Lebanese authorities are unlikely to seize it or Ghosn. Meanwhile, if you're in the market for a Custom Line Navetta 37, you might consider waiting for Ghosn's to go up for auction. At $12 million for 121 feet, it could be a bargain.
