The French justice has issued this Thursday an international arrest warrant against Carlos Ghosn, the former president of Nissan-Renault, according to French media reports.
The motoring tycoon has been "surprised", a spokesman told the Reuters agency, since he "has always cooperated with the authorities".
Ghosn is accused of funneling millions of dollars of Renault funds through an Omani car dealer, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, for his personal use.
Magistrates have issued five international arrest warrants against Ghosn and current owners or former directors of the company,
The Wall Street Journal
reports .
Ghosn was first arrested in November 2018 in Japan.
In March 2019, he was released on bail, although he was re-arrested the following month on another charge related to the possible use of Nissan funds for his own benefit.
Three weeks later, he was once again granted bail, albeit with a series of restrictions, including a ban on leaving the country.
However, at the end of 2019 he fled by private plane to Lebanon.
Since his flight, his legal risks have largely shifted to France, where he is suspected of using Renault funds to pay for a yacht and his wife's birthday celebration at the Palace of Versailles.
The magistrates of the Nanterre Court have traveled to Lebanon twice as part of their investigation of the case and on one of them they questioned Ghosn, who has been a fugitive from Japanese justice since he fled the country.
A lawyer for former Renault boss Jean Tamalet has called the arrest warrant surprising given that Ghosn cannot leave Lebanon.
"He has always cooperated with French justice," he said by phone.
In addition, the accused himself has denied the accusations.