Ghosn makes surprise debut on Twitter as prosecutors consider new charges

April 3 (UPI) -- Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn made a surprise debut on Twitter Wednesday that came as Japanese prosecutors say more charges may be coming for the accused executive.

Prosecutors said Tuesday new charges may be filed over payments of more than $30 million from Nissan to a distributor in the Middle East. Prosecutors believe some of that money was misappropriated by Ghosn.

The former executive was released from prison last month after posting nearly $10 million in bail. He's accused of under-reporting his income at Nissan and unlawfully transferring investment losses to the company's books. If new charges are filed, Ghosn could be re-arrested and sent back to jail.

"We believe that there is a possibility that prosecutors will make another charge against Mr. Ghosn on a different matter," Ghosn attorney Junichiro Hironaka said.

The possible new charges stem from a French investigation in which prosecutors in Paris found suspicious payments, Nikkei Asian Review reported.

Ghosn has been largely silent since his arrest and jailing, but has denied the charges. He's said his salary at was approved by others at Nissan. He spent more than 100 days in jail before finding out what the charges were.

A new Twitter-verified account bearing Ghosn's name said Wednesday he will explain his actions related to the charges next week. 

"I'm getting ready to tell the truth about what happened," the tweet said. The new account had 21,000 followers by early Wednesday and a spokesman confirmed it belonged to Ghosn. Attorneys for Ghosn indicated Tuesday the executive wanted to tell his side of the story in a news conference.

The new tweet, however, raises legal questions about exactly who wrote it, because Ghosn is prohibited from using the Internet as a condition of his bail. The court said he can only use an offline computer at his attorney's office and only during business hours. If he himself posted the tweet, and not an aide or attorney, it would violate the order.

Ghosn, 65, led a global alliance of Japanese automakers Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, along with French car maker Renault. Nissan officials have said Ghosn is to blame for corporate governance failures at the company, saying he made it difficult for Nissan to monitor his activity.