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Father, son plead guilty to helping Ghosn flee Japan

An American father and son pleaded guilty in Tokyo on Monday (June 14), to charges that they illegally helped former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn flee Japan more than a year ago. U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor and his son Peter, could now face up to three years in prison. Buses believed to be carrying the two were seen arriving in court on Monday. Prosecutors accuse them of helping Ghosn escape Japan in a box aboard a private jet to Lebanon in December 2019. The pair allegedly received 1.3 million for their services.In March, they were extradited to Japan from the United States.That’s after a months-long battle to prevent that by their American lawyers. Those lawyers argued that the two could face relentless interrogations and torture. Suspects in Japan are interrogated without their lawyers present, and are often denied bail before trial.Japan’s conviction rate is 99%.Taylor and his son are now being held at the same jail in Tokyo, where Ghosn was previously detained. At the time of Ghosn’s escape, he was awaiting trial on charges that he understated his compensation in Nissan’s financial statements by USD$85 million, over the course of a decade. He was also accused of enriching himself at his employer’s expense through payments to car dealerships. Ghosn has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He remains a fugitive in his childhood home in Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan.