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June 20 (UPI) -- Former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who fled from Japan to Lebanon after being accused of financial misconduct, is suing his former employers for $1 billion in damages, alleging defamation. Ghosn was credited with engineering an alliance between French auto manufacturer Renault and Nissan, eventually becoming CEO of both companies. In November 2018, Ghosn was arrested by Japanese authorities who alleged he had underreported his income.
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Ghosn made international headlines in 2019 when he escaped Japan for Lebanon hidden in a music equipment box.
Ghosn filed his lawsuit to a Lebanese court in May.
"The serious and sensitive accusations will linger in people's minds for years," Ghosn said in his filing. Ghosn accuses his former employer and colleagues of "fabricating charges," against him.
The filing says Ghosn "would suffer from them for the remainder of his life, as they have persistent and lingering impacts, even if based on mere suspicion.
Ghosn claims that the accusations against him were in retaliation for his plan to move forward with a full merger between Nissan and Renault.
Japanese authorities named two U.S. citizens, Michael Taylor and his son Peter, as co-conspirators in Ghosn's escape.
The pair were arrested by U.S. authorities in May, 2020, before being extradited to Japan in 2021. They were convicted by a Japanese court but returned to the U.S. in 2022.
Japan has put out an Interpol red notice for Ghosn. France issued an arrest warrant for Ghosn in 2022, alleging he had laundered money.
