Japan has formally asked Washington to extradite a former Green Beret and his son accused of helping former Nissan Motor Co boss Carlos Ghosn flee the country while he was awaiting trial on financial charges.
Japan submitted a request to the US State Department to extradite Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, after they were provisionally arrested in Massachusetts in May, the US Justice Department said in a court filing on Thursday.
Lawyers for the Taylors have argued that they have not been charged in Japan with an offense for which extradition is possible under the US-Japan treaty.
The Taylors were arrested in Harvard, Massachusetts, on May 20 at Japan’s request after authorities there in January accused them of helping smuggle Ghosn, Nissan’s former chairman, out of the country on Dec. 29, 2019, in a box, Reuters reported.
Both men have been held without bail since their arrest.
Ghosn fled to Lebanon, his childhood home, after being charged with engaging in financial wrongdoing, including by understating his compensation in Nissan’s financial statements. However, Ghosn denies all charges.
Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.
