Ghosn hit with fresh charge in Japan, files for bail

Japanese authorities Monday hit former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn with a fresh charge of aggravated breach of trust, the fourth formal indictment against the auto sector tycoon who immediately filed for bail.

The Tokyo District Court confirmed that prosecutors had filed the new indictment and hours later said that Ghosn's crack legal team had filed a request for the executive to be released on bail.

The 65-year-old strenuously denies all allegations against him and insists they have been cooked up in a "plot" by Nissan executives wary of his plans to bring the Japanese car giant closer to its French partner Renault.

According to the formal charge sheet, Ghosn is accused of funnelling millions in Nissan funds to a dealership in the Middle East and syphoned off around five million dollars for his personal use.

The transfers were made "with the purpose of benefiting himself by receiving part of the money," alleged prosecutors.

Nissan itself said it had filed a criminal complaint against its former boss "after determining that payments made by Nissan to an overseas vehicle sales company via a subsidiary were in fact directed by Ghosn for his personal enrichment and were not necessary from a business standpoint."
Carole Ghosn has also said she is concerned about her husband's health in conditions in the Japanese jail that Ghosn himself said he would not wish on his "worst enemy."