Americans convicted in Japan after Ghosn escape return home

Their lawyer said, on Tuesday, that an American father and his son convicted in Japan for helping former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn escape to Lebanon, hiding in a box, have returned to the United States.

Former Green Beret Michael Taylor was sentenced in July last year in Tokyo District Court to two years in prison, while his son Peter Taylor was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison.

They were convicted of aiding a criminal for their involvement in Ghosn’s escape in December 2019, who was awaiting trial on various charges of financial misconduct, including failure to report his compensation.

The Taylors were arrested in Massachusetts in May 2020, and extradited to Japan in March 2021, although they fought against deportation to Japan.

The United States and Japan have an extradition treaty, while Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan. Ghosn French-Brazilian of Lebanese descent.

The US Federal Bureau of Prisons’ website lists Michael Taylor in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles and is scheduled to be launched January 1, 2023.

Kelly, the attorney for Taylor’s family, said via email that he is in talks with parole officials about a previous release. Peter Taylor has already been released, and has returned with his family to Massachusetts, said Kelly, whose office is in Boston.

Japan’s Ministry of Justice declined to comment. Nissan has no comments.

During their trial in Tokyo, Michael and Peter Taylor apologized and pleaded guilty, saying they had been misled by Ghosn. They denied that they benefited financially because the payment only covered the expenses.

Ghosn, who has led Nissan Motor Company for two decades, says he is innocent. He says he fled because he does not expect a fair trial in Japan.

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Yuri Kageyama on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama