Ghosn in French tax probe

French tax authorities have reportedly seized funds from Carlos Ghosn and his wife.

He is under investigation in France for possible tax evasion during his last three years heading Renault and Nissan, according to media reports.

Lawyers for Ghosn and French tax authorities have been discussing since the middle of 2019 whether the former CEO was a French resident during 2016, 2017 and 2018 after he declared in 2012 that he had moved to the Netherlands and was subsequently treated as a non-resident for tax purposes.

The newspaper Liberation reported monday that a judge allowed authorities to seize almost 13 million euros ($16 million) in assets from Ghosn and his wife, Carole, pending the outcome of the probe. Authorities are preparing a “major” tax adjustment, the paper said although Ghosn and his wife now live in Lebanon, where he fled a year ago after escaping from Japanese house arrest while awaiting trial for alleged offences while he was heading up Nissan.

Japanese authorities are seeking to get him returned to the country to face trial.