Former Nissan Executive's Conviction Upheld by Japanese Court
Tokyo, Japan - A Japanese appeals court has upheld the conviction of Greg Kelly, a former American executive at Nissan Motor Corp. Kelly was found guilty of helping former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn hide income. However, the court rejected prosecutors' appeal to overturn Kelly's acquittals on other counts.
Kelly was convicted in 2022 of under-reporting Ghosn's income for one of eight years. He received a six-month sentence, suspended for three years, and was allowed to return to the United States.
Kelly's attorney, Yoichi Kitamura, announced that he will appeal the verdict to the Japanese Supreme Court. Prosecutors declined to comment.
The ruling extends the ongoing legal battle over the alleged scheme to conceal Ghosn's compensation. Ghosn, who fled to Lebanon in 2019 while out on bail, is unlikely to face trial in Japan.
Kelly has consistently maintained his innocence and argued that the issue should have been addressed internally. He faces a civil lawsuit filed by Nissan seeking damages of 4 billion yen ($26 million).
The Ghosn scandal has been widely discussed in Japan as a case study in the challenges of forging international business alliances.
Additional Information
* The Japan Federation of Bar Associations reports that less than 1% of criminal cases in Japan result in verdicts of innocence.
* Nissan is currently exploring a business integration with Honda Motor Co. through a joint holding company.
* Prosecutors and Nissan allege that Ghosn conspired with Kelly and other company officials to secure secret promises of future compensation after his salary was cut.