The once-celebrated fugitive former Nissan chairman has hit back at his ex-employer with a massive lawsuit. The businessman is seeking compensation, accusing Nissan of defamation, slander, libel, and fabrication of material evidence. The suit was filed in Lebanon, where Ghosn has been based since fleeing Japan after his arrest on allegations of financial misconduct. He is demanding more than 5% of the company’s current market value in his bid for compensation, according to a report in the BBC.

Ghosn’s legal team claims that Nissan and others have tarnished his reputation by spreading lies about him and stealing documents from him. They are also seeking damages for loss of income and the deterioration of his image. The suit names the Japanese carmaker, two other companies, and a dozen unnamed individuals. Ghosn claims that the allegations against him have caused severe and lasting damage to his finances and reputation.

Despite being arrested on suspicion of various charges related to financial misconduct, Ghosn has steadfastly denied all accusations. He has accused the Japanese judicial system of being “rigged” and said it violates basic principles of humanity. The 69-year-old lives in Beirut, where he has escaped the country’s tightening grip on him. He has been subject to around-the-clock surveillance and had his movements restricted, even to the extent of stopping him from seeing his family.

In his lawsuit, Ghosn alleges that a conspiracy among Nissan executives and prosecutors led to his arrest. He claims he was sacked because of his resistance to an attempted takeover of the Renault-Nissan alliance by a group of executives and shareholders led by the chairman of Nissan’s auto parts division, Hiroto Saikawa. He also alleges that his refusal to give up control of the alliance had cost the company billions of dollars.

He alleged that the company was also trying to block his efforts to develop an electric car and that Nissan’s attempts to purge him had damaged its reputation in the global automotive industry. Ghosn has also called for an international inquiry into several matters, including alleged evidence that he had been forced to falsify his earnings reports and misused Nissan funds.

The ex-chairman, credited with saving Nissan from bankruptcy in the early 2000s and transforming it into one of the world’s top carmakers, was arrested in November 2018 on suspicion of concealing his income and using company money for personal purposes. He was sacked from his positions at the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance and Nissan. In his lawsuit, he alleges a conspiracy among Nissan officials, the Japanese government, and prosecutors led to his arrest. He has also claimed that he was tortured in prison to extract confessions from him. He has been unable to return to the US and is still in Lebanon, where he faces extradition requests from the Japanese government.

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