Report: Prosecutors Have Until Dec. 10 to Charge Ghosn

Japanese prosecutors must file charges against ousted Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn no later than Dec. 10 or release him, Reuters says.

Ghosn and fellow Nissan board member Greg Kelly were arrested on Nov. 19 on suspicion of financial misconduct. Both have been questioned since then by prosecutors, who are following up on an internal Nissan investigation into possible wrongdoing.

Last week a court agreed to allow prosecutors to hold Ghosn until today during their initial investigation. But they also can extend the detention time by as many as 20 days per charge by making additional accusations, according to the Associated Press.

Nissan’s probe suggests Ghosn reported only about half the 10 billion yen ($88 million) in compensation he collected during the years beginning in fiscal 2010. Media reports indicate the gap involved multiple forms of deferred compensation.

Other reports, usually citing unnamed sources, spell out additional financial issues. They say company funds were improperly used to buy homes for Ghosn and to pay for vacations for him and his family.

One report asserts that Ghosn’s older sister has been paid $100,000 per year by Nissan for a non-existent consulting job. It says she is living in an apartment in Rio de Janeiro that was paid for by a Nissan subsidiary.

Authorities have refused to allow Ghosn and Kelly to issue statements about their predicament, according to some reports in Japan. Reuters says prosecutors in Tokyo have declined to discuss their plans.