Carlos Ghosn joins Twitter and vows to 'tell the truth'
Hong Kong(CNN Business) Carlos Ghosn has joined Twitter and promised to unveil "the truth" behind his stunning downfall.
The former chief of Nissan (NSANF) and Renault (RNLSY) used his debut post on the social media site on Wednesday to announce that he will hold a press conference on April 11.
"I'm getting ready to tell the truth about what's happening," Ghosn wrote, without giving further details. The account is verified by Twitter (TWTR), and was confirmed as genuine by a spokesman for Ghosn.
Renault unveiled new allegations against Ghosn later on Wednesday, claiming that expenses incurred by its former CEO and chairman involved "questionable and concealed practices" that violated its ethics rules. It also announced Ghosn's resignation from its board.
The auto executive is awaiting trial in Tokyo on charges that he understated his income at Nissan and abused his position by transferring personal investment losses to the company.
After spending more than three months in a Japanese jail cell, he was released on bail of 1 billion yen ($9 million) last month. Ghosn, who denies all the charges, could face as many as 15 years in prison.
The bail conditions include monitoring by surveillance cameras and restrictions on Ghosn's use of computers. His spokesman said the Twitter account complies with those conditions.
Japanese media reported on Wednesday that prosecutors were readying new allegations against Ghosn related to payments made to a company in Oman. Prosecutors in Tokyo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ghosn awaits trial
One of the most prominent figures in the global auto industry, Ghosn was arrested by Japanese prosecutors on November 19 last year. He has since been ousted from his role as the head of Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, which together form the world's largest carmaking alliance.
His detention stunned the industry and strained the alliance, which makes one in nine cars sold worldwide and employs more than 450,000 people.
Ghosn has for the most part kept a low profile since his initial arrest. In a rare interview with Japanese newspaper Nikkei in January, the Brazilian-born executive said his downfall was the result of a plot against him by Nissan executives who opposed his plan to deepen the company's integration with Renault.
Ghosn's lawyer Junichiro Hironaka expressed concerns this week that his client may not receive a fair trial.
The former auto executive is set to stand trial alongside Nissan itself, Hironaka told reporters on Tuesday, creating a potential conflict of interest because Nissan is also cooperating with Japanese prosecutors in the case against Ghosn.
Greg Kelly, another Nissan director implicated in the case, will also be tried along with Ghosn and the company. A date for the trial has not yet been announced.
Ghosn's lawyers have formally requested that the three parties all be tried separately. Japanese prosecutors handling the case did not immediately respond to a request for comment on legal proceedings.
Nissan last week laid out sweeping new allegations against Ghosn in a 34-page report, blasting the "personality cult" surrounding the ousted chief and the corporate culture in which he was "deified within Nissan as a savior."
