Industry
A U.S. appellate court on Thursday refused to delay further delays in Japan of two men accused of helping former Nissan Motor Co Ltd chairman Carlos Ghosn flee the country.
PHOTO FILE: Former Nissan and Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn will be watching at a press conference at St. Kaslik Spirit University, in Jounieh, Lebanon September 29, 2020. REUTERS / Mohamed Azakir / File Photo
BOSTON: A U.S. appellate court on Thursday refused to further delay in Japan two men accused of helping former Nissan Motor Co Ltd chairman Carlos Ghosn flee the country.
The order by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston clears the way for the surrender to Japan of U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, after a Department of The US state allowed them to leave.
Their lawyers had said that, without a stay of prior ruling that they were trying to appeal that would allow them to be extradited, the U.S. government could turn the Taylors to Japan so early on Friday.
Paul Kelly, a lawyer for the Taylors, said their defense team is “currently investigating the legal options of the Taylors.” The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately comment.
The Taylors were arrested in May at the request of Japan.
Prosecutors allege that the Taylors Ghosn helped flee Japan on December 29, 2019, hidden in a box and on a private jet before reaching the home of his child, Lebanon, which does not have a peacekeeping treaty with Japan.
Ghosn was awaiting trial on allegations that he was involved in a financial crime, including by misrepresenting his compensation in Nissan ‘s financial statements. Ghosn has denied it.
Prosecutors said elder Taylor, a private security expert, and his son received US $ 1.3 million for their services.
(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; edited by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell)