Arab News

Okan Kosemen, a Turkish manager at the private jet company MNG, admitted his role in Nissan’s former CEO Carlos Ghosn’s escape plan, in a court hearing Friday.

In statements obtained today from Turkish media, Koseman said he had been forced to participate to the smuggling scheme as his family was threatened by the mafia. 

A Turkish tribunal also ruled for the confiscation of the two private jets which were involved in the operation. 

Although MNG Jet claimed that its employee acted alone in falsifying the passenger records to be filed to Turkish authorities, an aviation security expert.

Speaking to Arab News, they said this illegal plan would have some immediate repercussions over Turkish jet business especially when they would land to the European airports with tighter security inspections and sometimes denial of landing. 

In the meantime, along with Kosemen, four Turkish pilot were also put behind bars on Friday over charges of involvement in the escape plan and they will be treated under the relevant articles on “immigrant smuggling” of Turkish Penal Code. 

MNG Holding Co. is a Turkey-based conglomerate with hotel, finance and transportation services. 

Bloomberg recently reported that the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has used aircraft from MNG to ship gold to Istanbul. 

Turkish Justice Minister Abdullah Gul announced that no request has been filed yet from Japanese authorities to cooperate on the forensic investigation. 

Ghosn is expected to give a press conference in Beirut Jan. 8.