Rachida Dati and Carlos Ghosn Stand Trial in Renault-Nissan Corruption Case
- Former French government minister Rachida Dati went on trial at the Paris correctional tribunal on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, facing charges of corruption and passive influence peddling linked...
- Dati, who currently serves as the mayor of Paris's 7th arrondissement and previously held office as justice minister under Nicolas Sarkozy and culture minister under Emmanuel Macron, is...
- According to franceinfo, the French Parquet national financier has questioned the reality of the legal work performed, noting that investigators discovered only rare documents related to the retainer.
Former French government minister Rachida Dati went on trial at the Paris correctional tribunal on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, facing charges of corruption and passive influence peddling linked to 900 000 euros in legal fees paid by Renault-Nissan between 2010 and 2012, according to reporting by franceinfo.
Dati, who currently serves as the mayor of Paris’s 7th arrondissement and previously held office as justice minister under Nicolas Sarkozy and culture minister under Emmanuel Macron, is being tried alongside former Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn. According to franceinfo, prosecutors assert that a contract signed on October 28, 2009, with a fixed annual retainer of 300.000 euros before taxes, served to mask illegal lobbying activities conducted within the European Parliament while Dati served as an MEP.
Legal Arguments and Charges in the Renault-Nissan Case
According to franceinfo, the French Parquet national financier has questioned the reality of the legal work performed, noting that investigators discovered only rare documents related to the retainer. Dati faces up to ten years in prison and a fine, soit la moitié des honoraires perçus, alongside a potential five-year ban on holding public office, as reported by Le Monde.fr.
Dati’s defense team, consisting of attorneys Olivier Pardo, Olivier Baratelli, and Antoine Beauquier, maintains that she worked exclusively as a lawyer for the alliance’s Dutch-registered management company, RNBV, and that the allegations represent an artificial construction by the prosecution. According to Le Monde.fr, her lawyers intend to call witnesses to testify to her active legal work on files involving Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, and Iran.
Status of Co-Defendant Carlos Ghosn
Carlos Ghosn, who is charged with active corruption, active influence peddling, and abuse of power and confidence, remains a fugitive in Lebanon following his departure from Japan in late 2019, according to franceinfo. Reporting from Le Monde.fr indicates that Ghosn sent a letter in late August 2026 requesting a postponement of the proceedings on the grounds that he did not receive his summons within legal forms and deadlines.
The Paris tribunal is expected to address Ghosn’s request for a delay at the opening of the trial, which is scheduled to run across six afternoon sessions concluding on September 28, 2026, as detailed by franceinfo.
