Full Breakdown
Trial of Former French Minister Rachida Dati and Ex-Renault-Nissan Chief Carlos Ghosn Begins in Paris
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On Wednesday, a Paris court opened a corruption trial involving former culture minister Rachida Dati and fugitive businessman Carlos Ghosn. Prosecutors allege that a 2009 contract between Dati, then a Member of the European Parliament, and a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan was used to conceal lobbying work for the automotive group. Dati faces charges of passive corruption and influence peddling; Ghosn is charged with active corruption, influence peddling and abuse of power.
Background of the Allegations
The investigation stems from a contract signed in October 2009 that stipulated an annual fee of €300,000 to Dati. French authorities contend the agreement masked lobbying activities on behalf of Renault-Nissan. Investigators retrieved the contract in 2019 during a search of Renault’s headquarters following Ghosn’s 2018 arrest in Japan on separate financial-misconduct accusations. In addition to the Renault-Nissan case, prosecutors have examined reports that Dati received nearly €300,000 in undeclared payments from energy firm GDF Suez while serving as an MEP, and that she failed to declare jewellery and watches valued at €420,000 upon taking ministerial office.
Legal Stakes and Potential Penalties
If convicted, Dati could receive up to ten years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to €450,000, and a five-year ban on holding public office. Ghosn, who escaped from Japan in a concealed audio-equipment box and now resides in Lebanon, faces a “litany of charges” including abuse of power and bribery. He has denied wrongdoing and, in a letter to the court, requested a postponement of the proceedings while offering to appear by video link to contest the allegations.
Official Positions
Dati’s legal team maintains that she acted solely as a lawyer for the subsidiary and characterises the prosecution’s claims as “unfounded allegations of influence peddling” constructed by the authorities. Ghosn’s letter asserts that he is prepared to explain the disputed facts via video link and rejects accusations of attempting to delay the trial. Prosecutors argue that the contract’s structure was intended to disguise lobbying services, underpinning the charges brought before the court.