Former Nissan executive Greg Kelly convicted in Carlos Ghosn pay case

ISTANBUL

A Tokyo court on Thursday handed down a suspended sentence to former Nissan executive Greg Kelly for underreporting the salary of the company’s ex-CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Kelly, an American citizen, was given a six-month sentence suspended for three years, paving the way for his return to the US.

The Tokyo District Court found him guilty of “falsifying the automaker’s financial report for the year ended March 2018,” but acquitted him of all other counts, Kyodo News reported.

The court also fined Nissan 200 million yen ($1.73 million) for submitting “inaccurate financial statements for fiscal 2011 through 2017.”

“Kelly was accused of conspiring with Ghosn in understating his remuneration by around 9 billion yen ($78 million) over eight years through March 2018, violating Japan's financial instruments and exchange law,” the report said.

Kelly and Ghosn were arrested in Japan in November 2018.

In 2019, Ghosn fled to his native country Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan, hidden inside a box for music instruments.

Three people accused of helping him escape to Lebanon via Istanbul were given jail terms by a Turkish court earlier this year, while two Americans were sentenced by a Japanese court last year.

Kelly was out on bail and living with his wife in Tokyo.

He has maintained his innocence and said he “just sought legal ways to retain Ghosn even after his retirement so he could continue to provide services for Nissan and that there was no agreement for the alleged deferred payments,” read the report.

A statement by his lawyers after Thursday’s ruling said Kelly is “completely innocent” and will appeal the suspended sentence.

Rahm Emanuel, US ambassador to Japan, hailed the court decision in a brief statement: “We are relieved that the legal process has concluded, and Mr. and Mrs. Kelly can return home.”