Real life is often stranger than fiction. If you pitched a movie about a high-profile automotive CEO escaping from Japan in an audio equipment box, it would be shot down for being idiotic. In a post-9/11 world, it's impossible to smuggle a human being onto a plane in a box. And yet, that's what happened in the curious case of Carlos Ghosn.

It also happens to be the title of a new Netflix documentary: Fugitive: The Curious Case of Carlos Ghosn. Ghosn was once a respected figure in the automotive industry, but he has now become known as the dude who fled to Lebanon in a box.

Obviously, there's more to the story than that, and this brand-new documentary is exploring everything that led up to the moment Ghosn lowered himself into the box.

The trailer alone makes some shocking accusations against Ghosn. One of his birthday parties apparently cost $630,000. But Ghosn wasn't always as flashy. Many years ago, he was a celebrated figure and regarded as the most influential CEO in the automotive industry. We even have him to thank for the continued existence of the Nissan Z.

Ghosn started his career at Michelin, where he spent 18 years. In 1996, he joined Renault as an executive vice president of several departments, including purchasing, manufacturing, and development. Ghosn did a massive restructuring at Renault, which saved the brand. He then played a pivotal role in the Renault-Nissan Alliance and was rewarded with the chief operating officer role at Nissan for his efforts in 2019. Two years later, he was the CEO.

Thanks to Ghosn, Nissan went from a $6.46 billion loss to a net profit of $2.7 billion in one year.

Ghosn knew what he was doing, and in 2005, he was named the CEO of Renault. He didn't give up his job at Nissan, which meant he was running two Fortune 500 companies simultaneously. Ghosn also pushed for electrification, which led to the Nissan Leaf. His employees also loved him, as he was one of the first CEOs on the scene after the tragic tsunami on 11 March 2011.

Where did it all go wrong?

Ghosn was arrested on 19 November 2018 in Tokyo. It's alleged that he used company assets for personal use and under-reported his earnings. Details are scarce, but Ghosn allegedly used company funds to pay for vacations and bought several houses across the globe via a shell corporation.

There's a lot to unpack, but here's what you need to know. Ghosn was released on bail in April 2019 and escaped to Lebanon on 30 December 2019.

Not much has happened since, and this documentary will be the first time the public has access to insider information. We hope it sheds more light on this curious investigation, which hasn't moved forward an inch since his infamous escape.