Tokyo court sentences two US Special forces veteran for smuggling Ghosn out of Japan

A Tokyo court sentenced  US Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor for two years in prison and is son Peter for one year and eight months for their role in ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn’s escape from Japan in 2019, after the pair were extradited from the US over claims they smuggled Mr Ghosn out of Japan in a luggage box on a private jet as he awaited trial.

Japanese prosecutors had been seeking prison terms of two years and 10 months for Michael Taylor and two years and six months for Peer.

They were accused of orchestrating Mr Ghosn’s escape to Lebanon from western Japan’s Kansai airport in December  2019 after receiving  £950, 000 ($1.3m) for their services.

Both had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges and said they regretted their actions.

Former Nissan boss Mr Ghosn  was on a bail while awaiting trial on four counts of financial misconduct which he denies, when he managed to slip past authorities out of Japan is now an international fugitive living in his childhood home of Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan.  After his arrival in Lebanon, Mr Ghosn said he was a “hostage” in Japan, left with a choice between dying there or running.

A Turkish court convicted an executive of Turkish Jet Company MNG and two pilots over their role in flying him out of Japan.