Japan begins trial of Nissan, ex-executive over Ghosn's pay

TOKYO (AP) — The financial misconduct trial of former Nissan executive Greg Kelly began Tuesday with Kelly saying he committed no crimes and was only trying to keep his star boss Carlos Ghosn from leaving.

The charges being heard at Tokyo District Court center around Kelly’s alleged role in failing to report to Japanese authorities the future compensation of Ghosn, who led Nissan Motor Co. for two decades.

Japanese prosecutors outlined allegations of what they said was a complex and clandestine scheme to pay former star executive Carlos Ghosn. Kelly denied the allegations and said everything that was done was intended to keep Ghosn, who he called an “extraordinary executive,” at Nissan.

“This was all in the best interests of Nissan,” Kelly said, reading from a statement.

“I deny the allegations. I was not involved in a criminal conspiracy,” said Kelly, whose trial opened on his 64th birthday.

Ghosn was arrested in late 2018 at the same time as Kelly but jumped bail and fled to Lebanon late last year. Since Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan, he may never face trial. But Kelly evinced no rancor over being left to face trial himself.

He recounted how in the late 1990s, when Nissan was losing money, the French automaker Renault bought a stake in Nissan and sent in Ghosn to help turn the ailing Japanese car maker around.

The experts believed Nissan was doomed, Kelly said, but “Mr. Ghosn proved the experts wrong. Under Mr. Ghosn, Nissan became very profitable.”

He explained how Nissan expanded its product lineup, diversified into leasing and tackled the China market, where it prospered during many years of double-digit growth.

Top management at Nissan fretted they might lose Ghosn, who occasionally complained he could make more money...