U.S. judicial authorities have declined to delay the extradition to Japan of two American citizens charged with assisting Carlos Ghosn in escaping Japan in 2019.
On Thursday, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston issued an order that enables the extradition of U.S. Army Special Forces Veteran Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, to Japan, Reuters reported.
The move comes after the U.S. State Department approved the Taylors’ extradition, which reportedly could take place as early as Friday.
The defendants’ lawyer, Paul Kelly, told the same source that the defense team was exploring the Taylors’ legal options.
The Taylors were arrested in May 2020 after being charged with helping the former Nissan executive flee from Japan. They were apprehended just before Peter Taylor could leave Boston to Beirut as he had reportedly planned.
Ghosn, who has been residing in Beirut ever since his daring escape, has stated that he was helping out all those who stood by him ‘as much as he can, financially and in any way possible.’ However, he did not mention the Taylors or anyone in the remarks.
Michael and Peter Taylor dodged extradition in October when a U.S. federal judge issued a last-minute request to stop the process.
In addition to the Taylors, Japan has sought the extradition of Ghosn himself but has failed to get hold of the fugitive, as it lacks extradition treaties with Lebanon.
French investigators were due to question Ghosn in Lebanon in January 2021, but their trip was postponed in the wake of Lebanon’s latest lockdown.
Meanwhile, developments have emerged in Ghosn‘s legal case in Japan, as the former Nissan vice president came forth with new revelations about his former boss.