Former Nissan Motor Co Ltd (OTC:NSANF) Chairman Carlos Ghosn fled Japan on New Year's Eve to Turkey and is now in Lebanon, where the justice ministry has received an Interpol red notice for his arrest, according to the BBC.

The red notice, which calls on authorities to arrest a wanted person, has yet to be referred to the judiciary, Reuters reported. 

Ghosn was charged in Japan with underreporting his future compensation and breach of trust and has repeatedly asserted his innocence.

He left on a private jet from a regional airport in Japan, reportedly landing in Istanbul first, which prompted an investigation in Turkey. 

Ghosn is now in his home country of Lebanon.

"There has been speculation in the media that my wife Carole, and other members of my family played a role in my departure from Japan," Ghosn said in a Thursday statement, according to Bloomberg.

"All such speculation is inaccurate and false. I alone arranged for my departure. My family had no role whatsoever."

Ghosn also left Japan without a passport, which he had to surrender last year to Japanese officials.

Japan does not have an extradition treaty with Lebanon, which said Ghosn has entered the country legally, giving no reason to take action against him. 

Seven people have been arrested in connection with the escape, according to Turkish media: four pilots, a cargo company manager and two airport workers.

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Photo by Ecole polytechnique via Wikimedia.