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Former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said he has been “wrongly accused” of financial misconduct after spending the last 51 days in a Japanese jail, CNBC reports. “I have been wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations,” he said in his first public comments since being detained in mid-November. “I am grateful to finally have the opportunity to speak publicly. I look forward to beginning the process of defending myself against the accusations that have been made against me,” he said, adding that he had “acted honorably, legally, and with the knowledge and approval of the appropriate executives” inside Nissan. Ghosn's public comments came after the ousted executive's lawyers reportedly demanded to know why prosecutors had not granted him bail. According to CNN, Ghosn—who remains chairman and CEO of the automotive manufacturer Renault—was noticeably thinner, with his normally jet black hair graying at the roots. The global business leader's downfall has shaken the international auto industry and strained the alliance he built between Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi Motors. Prosecutors allege Ghosn under-reported his income by tens of millions of dollars and transferred personal investment losses to Nissan.