Carlos Ghosn's stunning escape from Japan makes him one of the most famous white-collar fugitives in recent years, joining the likes of Malaysian businessman Jho Low and Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya.
The former head of Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA, who was facing trial in Japan for financial crimes, defended the move by saying in a statement that he'll "no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system."
It's unclear how Ghosn escaped as he's been under house arrest and close surveillance since being granted bail in April following his initial arrest in November 2018. He's a citizen of Lebanon, which doesn't have an extradition treaty with Japan, and is held in high esteem there. He also holds Brazilian and French citizenship. Ghosn's lawyer Junichiro Hironaka said his legal team has all of his passports, adding that it's likely he entered Lebanon using a different name.