American father-son duo plead guilty to aiding Carlos Ghosn’s escape

A former US Special Forces veteran and his son have admitted their role in helping ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn escape from Japan.

Michael and Peter Taylor faced a Japanese court on Monday accused of helping the disgraced CEO skip bail and flee to Lebanon.

The father and son replied “no” when asked by a judge if there was anything wrong with the charges submitted by Tokyo Prosecutors, Reuters reports.

They face up to three years in prison.

A warrant for the arrest of both Taylor men was issued by Japanese authorities in early 2020, and the two were extradited from their native US in March this year after a lengthy legal battle.

Prosecutors alleged the Taylors met Ghosn at Kansai Airport in Japan in December 2019 before the ex-Nissan chief slipped past the authorities and out of the country in a box.

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The box was then said to have been loaded onto a private jet bound for Turkey, allowing Ghosn to avoid trial by returning to his native Lebanon, which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018, where he was charged financial misconduct. Set at ¥500m (AU$5.9million). Bail conditions stopped Ghosn from travelling and using more than one phone or computer. His court-approved residence was also placed under constant video surveillance.

The ex-CEO has always maintained his innocence. Speaking from Beirut in 2019, he argued he would not face a fair trial in Japan, which has a criminal conviction rate of 99 per cent for prosecuted cases, according to Reuters.