Carlos Ghosn has denied all allegations against him. (Reuters File Photo)
Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn has sued the company for more than $1 billion, according to a report in the BBC. In the lawsuit filed in Lebanon, the businessman has sought compensation, accusing Nissan of defamation, slander, libel and fabrication of material evidence. Mr Ghosn, the former chairman and chief executive of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on suspicion of financial misconduct, before being sacked by Nissan's board in a unanimous decision. He had fled Japan in a box while awaiting trial and now lives in Lebanon.
BBC said the lawsuit is another effort by Mr Ghosn to clear his name after he was ousted from Nissan.
A hearing is scheduled to be held in September.
The amount Mr Ghosn is seeking as compensation represent 5% of the company's $16 billion market value, said the BBC report. Nissan has so far not made any comment on the issue.
Mr Ghosn is credited with reviving Nissan from near bankruptcy in early 2000s, and was appointed the CEO of French carmaker Renault in 2005. According to his official biography, Mr Ghosn was the first person to run two global Fortune 500 companies simultaneously.
The businessman had denied all the allegations against him, and even termed Japan's justice system "rigged". Mr Ghosn is forced to stay in Lebanon as he is the subject of an Interpol Red notice issued by Japan.
He has been accused of under-reporting earnings, breach of trust and misappropriation of company funds by Japan and will be tried if he enters the country.
Lebanon does not extradite its citizens, and judicial authorities have banned Ghosn - who holds Lebanese, French and Brazilian nationality - from travel.