TOKYO: Carlos Ghosn, who served as chairman and chief executive officer of the world’s biggest auto alliance, added another title to his resume today: defendant.

Pre-trial hearings began yesterday at the Tokyo District Court’s 17th Criminal Court Division, kicking off a new phase in a saga that started in November when Ghosn was arrested just after landing at Haneda Airport on a private jet. Ghosn, wearing a grey suit, didn’t say anything before entering courthouse just before the 10am meeting.

His detention on allegations ranging from falsifying financial records to redirecting company money into his own accounts shocked the global auto industry. The alliance Ghosn created between Nissan Motor Co, Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp was shaken to its core.

In the half-year since, the three-way partnership has moved on. New executives were brought in to restore profitability and navigate through an industry that’s facing disruption from electrification, self-driving vehicles and new business models for transporting people and goods.

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