TOKYO: Former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn may have decided to run away from Japan after learning that public prosecutors had obtained key evidence supporting his alleged illegal transfer of Nissan funds to his side, Jiji Press learned Monday.

The prosecutors disclosed to the defense side in autumn last year or later, during pretrial procedures, an email in which Ghosn, 65, received a report from Lebanese investment company GFI about the transfer of the funds of the major Japanese automaker, informed sources said.

The email is part of the evidence supporting Ghosn's alleged special breach of trust through the transfer of the money to GFI, effectively owned by him, via Omani sales agent SBA, the sources said.

In the email, a late lawyer who was involved in establishing GFI reported to Ghosn the transfer of the Nissan funds via a bank account of the Lebanese company.

The email was found in a personal computer of an assistant of the lawyer, who took over the lawyer's duties after the lawyer's death.

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation team also found in the PC emails the lawyer and the assistant exchanged with the Omani sale agent.

The team regards the emails as objective evidence showing Ghosn's involvement in the wrongdoing, the sources said.

During questioning by the special investigation team, Ghosn said he may have had contact with the lawyer. He appeared to have forgotten details of the email in question from the lawyer, according to the sources.

Ghosn, who was on bail ahead of his trial over a series of suspected financial misconduct, entered Lebanon from Japan late last year without permission from Japanese authorities.

JIJI Press