Carlos Ghosn's great escape

the world has more questions than answers about former auto executive Carlos cones recent journey from arrest in Japan to a parent safe refuge in Lebanon a mystery made all the more intriguing Charlie d'Agata tells us because of speculation he smuggled himself out in a box you don't get as far as Carlos gone has come without thinking outside the box it was a big risk that you took I know but but but it was a bigger is to say a risk that would mean thinking inside the box and if they ever make Goins escape into a Hollywood movie they'll have to begin with the words based on a true story to get audiences to believe the plot the real story goes that the former Nissan CEO was under house arrest in Tokyo and 24-hour surveillance when he gave Japanese security services the slip on December 29th he boarded a bullet train undetected for a three-hour trip to Osaka Airport here is where the mission began to look impossible was there a point during that escape that you were thinking this is crazy this could all go very wrong oh I knew that I was taking risk I knew that if I was putting people around me in the loop not only they were taking a risk but also the risk of any slippage any rumor any leak would be very high and it would kill any project like this so I had to work by myself only with people who are going to operate you know there was nobody else this was the condition and the other condition is you need to think fast act fast and make something simple daring but simple this was the most difficult decision of my life he doesn't dare share the details for fear of incriminating his cohorts but it recorded ly included a team of around 15 people including a former US Green Beret and a price tag running into the millions and a box this box can we talk about the box everybody's talking about the box except you good for them good for them yeah but I'm the only one who knows exactly what happens what investigators believe happened is that the industry giant stuffed himself into a box for concert equipment holes cut in the bottom so he could breathe we just sent here's what it looked like when a Japanese news Porter tried to get into a box of the same size this new gun was then spirited away on a private jet bound for Istanbul enroute to Beirut where we spoke this past Friday was there a moment in the box that you were thinking what's become of my life you know I'm I'm a very idealistic person I know that you know success don't last forever fortune don't last forever our ups and down in life you have to confront tragedy as strongly as you confront success and even though I did have a lot of shortfall this one was a big one and it was a test for my resolve and for my character how the auto Titan fell into trouble is as compelling as how he got out of it he was hailed a hero when he pulled Nisan back from the brink of bankruptcy in the late 1990s when you make an investment that you're doing it for the long term the CEO with the Rockstar swagger enjoyed the trappings of success hobnobbing with the global elite in Davos bobbing around on his 10 million-dollar yacht globe-trotting onboard private jets even hosting a Marie Antoinette themed party at the Palace of Versailles but when profits began to plummet in 2018 Nissan executives accused him of not disclosing exactly how much he was taking out of the company among other charges he was arrested and charged with financial wrongdoing he said authorities kept pushing back his trial date and that he was barred from even communicating with his wife and in a country with a 99% plus conviction rate he says he never stood a chance so I'm sitting here alone in a country which is not mine in the system that does not understand I have everything you know all red signals everywhere I said my only hope of being able to defend myself get out of the country make a run for it regardless of the risk at Japan's request Interpol has issued what it calls a red notice not only for gone but his wife Carol whether or not you were guilty of the charges before you fled you are certainly guilty now a flee your fugitive of Justice what's the future hold for you I would say I'm fidgety for justice I'm fugitive of injustice that's the way I will put it I don't feel bad about it because the way I've been treated and the way I was looking at the system frankly I don't feel Annie killed last week the Lebanese government issued their own order restricting going from leaving the country until further notice not that he's anxious to go anywhere he's got property here he grew up here and remains something of a local hero and after I landed in Beirut on 30th of December it was kind of rebirth for me it was like I was everything again I was bringing again a new life for now and Carlos gone says he's willing to face the charges and answer to everything eventually just not in Japan just yes or no innocent of all the charges yes you plan the escape yourself yes were Americans involved in the escape I'll take that it's okay I think we can look into that as we will has Hollywood approached you about your story yes is that a reality do you see that happening what not and my last question is the first question the box was there a box no comment no comments

Channel: CBS Sunday Morning

Views: 223,390

Keywords: CBS Sunday Morning, CBS News, news, carlos ghosn, outside the box, nissan executive, japan, trial, wrongdoing, finance

Id: 8GzGfNOs_pA

Length: 6min 23sec (383 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 12 2020