Turkey detains 7 people for questioning over Carlos Ghosn's escape from Japan

Carlos Ghosn.
(Image credit: Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Turkey has detained seven people for questioning in connection to former Nissan chair Carlos Ghosn's escape from Japan.

While on house arrest and awaiting trial in Japan on financial misconduct charges that he denies, Ghosn fled the country, reportedly doing so by traveling on a private plane to Istanbul, Turkey, and then to Lebanon.

The Istanbul governor's office on Thursday announced seven people have been detained for questioning as part of an investigation into Ghosn's escape, NBC News reports. This includes four pilots suspected of traveling on the private plane with Ghosn, The Washington Post reports, while two airport ground workers and a cargo worker were also detained, per Reuters.

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Japanese prosecutors on Thursday raided Ghosn's Tokyo house, while Interpol issued a wanted notice for him, though this doesn't require that Lebanon arrest the former Nissan chair, The Associated Press reports. The Wall Street Journal notes, though, that the wanted notice "could impede Mr. Ghosn's ability to travel, as other Interpol member states could provisionally arrest him on their soil."

Ghosn said this week he has "not fled justice" but has "escaped injustice and political persecution," and in a statement Thursday, he denied allegations that his family played a role in his fleeing Japan, saying, "I alone organized my departure."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.