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Jho Low, Skase, Ghosn and ‘The King of Good Times’: the most notorious white-collar fugitives

  • The former head of Nissan has fled to Lebanon, saying he refuses to be ‘held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system’
  • Malaysia, meanwhile, is still trying to bring in the alleged mastermind behind the billion-dollar 1MDB scandal

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Former Nissan Motor Chariman Carlos Ghosn has fled Japanese custody for Lebanon. Photo: Reuters

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 and Renault, who was facing trial in Japan for financial crimes, defended the move by saying in a statement that he will “no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system”.

It is unclear how Ghosn escaped as he had been under house arrest and close surveillance since being granted bail in April following his initial arrest in November 2018. He is a citizen of Lebanon, which does not 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 is likely he entered Lebanon using a different name.

Here’s a look at some high-profile fugitives from the business world in recent years.

Protesters hold portraits of Malaysian fugitive Jho Low, the alleged mastermind behind the 1MDB money laundering and bribery scandal. Photo: AP
Protesters hold portraits of Malaysian fugitive Jho Low, the alleged mastermind behind the 1MDB money laundering and bribery scandal. Photo: AP
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