Carole Ghosn, the wife of former Nissan and Renault chairman Carlos Ghosn, is asking President Donald Trump for help.
In an interview with the BBC, she requested that Trump speak with Japanese Prime Minister Abe about “fair trial conditions” for her husband. The two leaders will both be at the G20 summit in Osaka in late June.
“I’m a housewife who raised three children, and they’re making me sound like this conniving woman,” she said of stories painting her as the ringleader and being involved in Ghosn’s alleged financial misdeeds.
According to a recent report, Japanese prosecutors accused the pair of using stolen money to buy a yacht for the family. The couple also reportedly benefited from Renault funding the remodel of the Palace of Versailles. The Ghosns held their wedding reception there. Ghosn’s lawyer said he would would reimburse Versailles for the costs related to the event.
Like Carlos Ghosn, she maintains that her husband is innocent and “time will prove the truth.”
She said she remains anxious and worried about her future.
“I’m hoping it’s going to end one day because it’s hard to live this way,” she said.
Carlos Ghosn was first arrested in November 2018 for allegations of “significant acts of misconduct” over many years. Prosecutors accuse Carlos Ghosn of using Nissan funds for personal use. They allege that from 2015 to 2018, Nissan sent money to an overseas dealer that was actually controlled by Ghosn.
He was one of the auto industry’s most high-profile executives and oversaw the alliance of Nissan (NSANF), Renault (RNLSY) and Mitsubishi Motors. The companies fired him after his November arrest and the alliance booted him from his position in March.
He was releasedafter three months in custody before being arrested again in early April for new allegations of financial misconduct.
Carole Ghosn said in the BBC interview that was the last time she saw her husband. He was released on bail, but she claims that Japanese authorities have prevented him from speaking with her. Carole Ghosn called that restriction “inhumane.”
She said that he thinks her husband’s alleged actions “could have been dealt with internally within the company” and said it “didn’t need to go this far.” She labeled the whole thing as a “conspiracy to get rid him” to stop Renault’s plan to buy Nissan.
She’s previously spoken out and expressed concern about herhusband’s health after he developed a fever while being detained.
