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Japan Seeks Arrests of 3 Americans Accused of Helping Ghosn Escape Japan Seeks Arrests of 3 Americans Accused of Helping Ghosn Escape
(about 3 hours later)
TOKYO — Japanese prosecutors on Thursday issued arrest warrants for three Americans suspected of helping former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn flee the country, where he was awaiting trial on charges of financial wrongdoing. TOKYO — Japanese prosecutors on Thursday issued arrest warrants for three Americans suspected of helping the former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn flee the country, where he was awaiting trial on charges of financial wrongdoing.
Mr. Ghosn surprised the world, and embarrassed Japanese authorities, when he slipped out of his home in Tokyo in late December and turned up a day later in Lebanon. Mr. Ghosn surprised the world, and embarrassed the Japanese authorities, when he slipped out of his home in Tokyo in late December and turned up a day later in Lebanon.
Prosecutors want to arrest Michael Taylor, a 59-year-old former Green Beret; his son, Peter Maxwell Taylor, 26; and George Antoine Zayek, 60. The warrant said they helped Mr. Ghosn avoid immigration checks and board a private jet in Osaka that took him to Turkey on the first leg of his escape. Prosecutors want to arrest Michael Taylor, 59, a former Green Beret; his son, Peter Maxwell Taylor, 26; and George Antoine Zayek, 60. The warrant said they had helped Mr. Ghosn avoid immigration checks and board a private jet in Osaka that took him to Turkey on the first leg of his escape.
They also issued a new warrant for the arrest of Mr. Ghosn, who “illegally left the country” without notifying immigration authorities. They also issued a new warrant for the arrest of Mr. Ghosn, who “illegally left the country” without notifying the immigration authorities.
The document was the first official confirmation by Japanese authorities of some of the details of Mr. Ghosn’s flight. Mr. Ghosn himself has shared next to no information about the escape, citing concern about the safety of those who aided him. The document was the first official confirmation by the Japanese authorities of some of the details of Mr. Ghosn’s flight. Mr. Ghosn has shared next to no information about the escape, citing concern about the safety of those who aided him.
According to the warrant, Michael Taylor and Mr. Zayek accompanied Mr. Ghosn from Tokyo to Osaka, nearly 300 miles west of Tokyo, where they hid him in “portable luggage” and helped smuggle him through a private jet terminal and onto a waiting plane where they accompanied him to Istanbul. Mr. Ghosn is believed to have hidden in a large black box typically used for transporting audio equipment. According to the warrant, Michael Taylor and Mr. Zayek accompanied Mr. Ghosn from Tokyo to Osaka, nearly 300 miles to the west, where they hid him in “portable luggage” and helped smuggle him through a private jet terminal and onto a plane. Mr. Ghosn is believed to have hidden in a large black box typically used for transporting audio equipment.
Michael Taylor is a private-security contractor with extensive contacts in Lebanon dating to the 1980s, when he was deployed to Beirut as part of a team of United States Special Forces. Mr. Taylor is a private-security contractor with extensive contacts in Lebanon dating to the 1980s, when he was deployed to Beirut as part of a team of United States Special Forces.
Mr. Zayek, whose part in the escape was previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, was born in Lebanon and previously worked with Mr. Taylor’s Boston-based security company. The arrest warrant was the first public mention of Peter Taylor’s involvement. All three are believed to be American citizens, prosecutors said. Mr. Zayek, whose part in the escape was reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal, was born in Lebanon and previously worked with Mr. Taylor’s Boston-based security company. The arrest warrant was the first public mention of Peter Taylor’s involvement. All three are believed to be American citizens, prosecutors said.
Michael and Peter Taylor and George Zayek have been in the Middle East since Mr. Ghosn’s escape, according to a person familiar with the matter. Lawyers for the Taylors did not respond to requests for comment, and Mr. Zayek could not be reached for comment. The Taylors and Mr. Zayek have been in the Middle East since Mr. Ghosn’s escape, according to a person familiar with the matter. Lawyers for the Taylors did not respond to requests for comment, and Mr. Zayek could not be reached for comment.
Japan has an extradition treaty with the United States, potentially putting them within reach of Japanese prosecutors if they were arrested by American authorities. Japan has an extradition treaty with the United States, potentially putting the men within reach of Japanese prosecutors if they were arrested by American authorities.
In a news conference, a deputy chief prosecutor, Takahiro Saito, said Peter Taylor had “played an important role in the escape,” having met with Mr. Ghosn at least seven times in Tokyo, beginning last July and ending on the day of his escape on Dec. 29. In a news conference, a deputy chief prosecutor, Takahiro Saito, said Peter Taylor had “played an important role in the escape,” having met with Mr. Ghosn at least seven times in Tokyo between July and the day of his escape on Dec. 29.
Mr. Saito said he believed that the younger Mr. Taylor had been a key conduit for planning the escape, ultimately reserving a Tokyo hotel room for Mr. Ghosn and providing him with the key. On the day of his flight, Mr. Ghosn traveled from his home in central Tokyo to the nearby hotel, where he changed clothes before meeting with the other two men, who accompanied him to Osaka, he added.Mr. Saito said he believed that the younger Mr. Taylor had been a key conduit for planning the escape, ultimately reserving a Tokyo hotel room for Mr. Ghosn and providing him with the key. On the day of his flight, Mr. Ghosn traveled from his home in central Tokyo to the nearby hotel, where he changed clothes before meeting with the other two men, who accompanied him to Osaka, he added.
After the private jet landed in Istanbul, Mr. Ghosn is believed to have boarded another private jet flight to Beirut. Michael Taylor and Mr. Zayek are suspected of taking a commercial flight to Lebanon; Turkish authorities have released photos showing the two men passing through passport control at the Istanbul airport. After the private jet landed in Istanbul, Mr. Ghosn is believed to have boarded another private jet flight to Beirut. Michael Taylor and Mr. Zayek are suspected of taking a commercial flight to Lebanon; the Turkish authorities have released photos showing the two men passing through passport control at the Istanbul airport.
A veteran of the Lebanese civil war, Mr. Zayek has worked with Michael Taylor for decades, including on security contracts in Iraq. He is the brother of Elias Zayek, a founder of the Lebanese Forces militia who was assassinated in 1990. Mr. Zayek has also spent time in the United States, earning diplomas in 1982 from the Gemological Institute of America in California, according to school records.A veteran of the Lebanese civil war, Mr. Zayek has worked with Michael Taylor for decades, including on security contracts in Iraq. He is the brother of Elias Zayek, a founder of the Lebanese Forces militia who was assassinated in 1990. Mr. Zayek has also spent time in the United States, earning diplomas in 1982 from the Gemological Institute of America in California, according to school records.
When he was a security consultant, Michael Taylor was hired by The New York Times to assist in the rescue of David Rohde, then a Times reporter, who was kidnapped by militants in Afghanistan and held for seven months in Pakistan’s tribal areas. In 2012, Mr. Taylor was indicted for his role in a plan to obstruct a federal fraud investigation into bid rigging of Defense Department contracts and served time in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. When he was a security consultant, The New York Times hired Michael Taylor to assist in the rescue of David Rohde, then a Times reporter, who was kidnapped by militants in Afghanistan and held for seven months in Pakistan’s tribal areas. In 2012, Mr. Taylor was indicted for his role in a plan to obstruct a federal fraud investigation into bid rigging of Defense Department contracts and served time in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
The planning behind Mr. Ghosn’s flight from Japan began last summer, according to someone familiar with the details of the escape. For months, the person said, Michael Taylor worked with a team of more than a dozen operatives from around the world to scope out airports and seaports in Japan, looking for security flaws that would allow Mr. Ghosn to slip out of the country by plane or boat. The team considered a number of options, including putting Mr. Ghosn on a ship to Thailand. The total cost of the preparation was more than $1 million, the person said. The planning behind Mr. Ghosn’s flight from Japan began last summer, according to someone familiar with the details of the escape. For months, the person said, Michael Taylor worked with a team of more than a dozen operatives from around the world to scope out airports and seaports in Japan, looking for security flaws that would allow Mr. Ghosn to slip out of the country by plane or boat. The team considered a number of options, including putting Mr. Ghosn on a ship to Thailand. The preparation cost more than $1 million, the person said.
The warrants were announced a day after prosecutors raided the Tokyo office of Mr. Ghosn’s former lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, looking for evidence related to the escape. Speaking to reporters afterward, Mr. Hironaka said that they had tried to confiscate materials Mr. Ghosn had used to prepare his defense, forcing open a door in the office and breaking open drawers and cabinets that they believed might contain relevant documents. The warrants were announced a day after prosecutors raided the Tokyo office of Mr. Ghosn’s former lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, looking for evidence related to the escape. Mr. Hironaka told reporters afterward that prosecutors had tried to confiscate materials Mr. Ghosn used to prepare his defense, forcing open a door in the office and breaking open drawers and cabinets that they believed might contain relevant documents.
During the raid, prosecutors tried to seize a personal computer used by Mr. Ghosn in Mr. Hironaka’s office. Mr. Hironaka has refused to turn over the computer, citing his responsibilities as Mr. Ghosn’s former lawyer.During the raid, prosecutors tried to seize a personal computer used by Mr. Ghosn in Mr. Hironaka’s office. Mr. Hironaka has refused to turn over the computer, citing his responsibilities as Mr. Ghosn’s former lawyer.
Mr. Saito said that Mr. Ghosn had met the younger Mr. Taylor four times in the lawyer’s office. Mr. Saito said Mr. Ghosn had met the younger Mr. Taylor four times in the lawyer’s office.
Since Mr. Ghosn’s flight, prosecutors have worked hard to turn up the pressure on him. Interpol issued a so-called red notice for Mr. Ghosn at Japan’s request, asking that cooperating countries arrest him. Prosecutors have also issued an arrest warrant for his wife, Carole Ghosn, accusing her of providing false testimony about her husband’s case. Since Mr. Ghosn’s flight, prosecutors have worked hard to turn up the pressure on him. Interpol issued a so-called red notice at Japan’s request, asking that cooperating countries arrest him. Prosecutors have also issued an arrest warrant for his wife, Carole Ghosn, accusing her of providing false testimony about her husband’s case.
For the time being, the couple, who both hold Lebanese passports, are living in Beirut. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan and a policy of not handing over its citizens to foreign governments.For the time being, the couple, who both hold Lebanese passports, are living in Beirut. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan and a policy of not handing over its citizens to foreign governments.
In Japan, Mr. Ghosn faced charges of hiding his compensation from regulators and using Nissan’s resources for his own financial benefit. But he has strongly denied the allegations, arguing that they were part of a corporate coup intended to thwart his efforts to strengthen Nissan’s alliance with its French partner Renault. In Japan, Mr. Ghosn faced charges of hiding his compensation from regulators and using Nissan’s resources for his own financial benefit. But he has strongly denied the allegations, arguing that they were part of a corporate coup intended to thwart his efforts to strengthen Nissan’s alliance with its French partner, Renault.
While on bail in Japan, Mr. Ghosn largely stayed out of the spotlight. But since his escape, he has repeatedly lashed out against Japan’s justice system, where he said he had no chance of receiving a fair trial. While free on bail in Japan, Mr. Ghosn largely stayed out of the spotlight. But since his escape, he has repeatedly lashed out against Japan’s justice system, where, he said, he had no chance of receiving a fair trial.
Following his surprise arrest in November 2018, Mr. Ghosn said, he was held in solitary confinement for long periods and interrogated for hours without a lawyer. After his surprise arrest in November 2018, Mr. Ghosn said, he was held in solitary confinement for long periods and interrogated for hours without a lawyer.
He was released after posting nearly $14 million in bail. Until his escape, he lived in a home in central Tokyo. As a condition of his bail, authorities monitored his comings and going and forbade him from using the internet outside of his lawyer’s office. Mr. Ghosn was also not allowed to see or even speak to Mrs. Ghosn, except for two brief video calls, because of prosecutors’ concerns that she might help him tamper with witnesses or evidence. He was released after posting nearly $14 million in bail. Until his escape, he lived in a home in central Tokyo. As a condition of his bail, the authorities monitored his comings and goings and forbade him to use the internet outside his lawyer’s office. Mr. Ghosn was also not allowed to see or even speak to Mrs. Ghosn, except for two brief video calls, because of prosecutors’ concerns that she might help him tamper with witnesses or evidence.
David Yaffe-Bellany contributed reporting from New York.David Yaffe-Bellany contributed reporting from New York.