Former Nissan Chairman Sues Car Company $1 Billion for Defamation

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Ghosn alleged that the charges were in fact aimed at derailing his plans for a merger between Nissan and Renault.

The multilingual international former executive made world headlines by fleeing Japan in a daring escape after he was smuggled out in an audio-equipment box and onto a private jet while awaiting trial in Tokyo.

Once an international car industry titan, whose name was celebrated in boardrooms around the world, he is now wanted on criminal charges in three countries.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Lebanon in May, accuses Nissan, two other firms, and 12 individuals of defamation and criminal libel, reported Bloomberg and Reuters.

Ghosn is seeking damages equivalent to more than 5 percent of the Japanese automaker’s roughly $16 billion market value.

“We have a long battle in front of us. We are going to fight it to the end,” Ghosn told Reuters during an interview in Beirut.

The lawsuit seeks $588 million in lost remuneration and another $500 million in moral damage.

“What I am asking for is only a little compensation compared to what they’ve done to me,” he said.

According to Judge Sabbouh Suleiman, of the Beirut’s prosecutor’s office, the Associated Press was told that a hearing date has been scheduled for Sept. 18.

Lebanese court officials said that Nissan and the accused individuals, who are employees at the car firm, were expected to send representatives to Beirut or appoint a local attorney to represent them.