Priča je razkril, kako je korziška mafija preplavala milijone čez Švico.

A fire at the bar Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, which claimed the lives of 41 people early this year, has reignited questions about the activities of the Corsican mafia in the country. The incident has brought renewed scrutiny over how criminal groups have used Swiss banks, companies, luxury watches, and motorsport events to launder millions of euros over decades. Investigations and testimonies suggest that criminal gangs have long exploited Swiss financial systems, leveraging their reputation for secrecy and stability. At the center of recent attention are the owners of the bar, Jacques and Jessica Moretti. Swiss authorities are examining how they built a hospitality empire within just a few years, despite failing to disclose their initial capital. This lack of transparency has raised concerns among investigators. Jacques Moretti’s past further fuels speculation. He was previously convicted of fraud and operated a cabaret called Lolapalooza on Corse, located in an area under the influence of the Petit Bar clan, one of the most powerful criminal circles on the island. Names linked to this group appear in reports from French anti-mafia police. While there are currently no direct evidence linking Moretti to illegal activities, his bank accounts were flagged in January with suspicious transactions. These alerts were sent to the Swiss Financial Crimes Prevention Office, prompting further inquiry. The documents submitted to the prosecutor's office in the canton of Valais indicate non-transparent accounting practices, and the possibility of ties to the Corsican mafia is not ruled out. French authorities have since requested access to the documentation, according to the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger. Italian journalist and mafia expert Roberto Saviano has commented on the case, suggesting he believes the Corsican mafia is connected to the tragedy. He explains that mafia-run businesses often serve not just as income generators, but as mechanisms to absorb cash and integrate illicit funds into legitimate economies. According to Saviano, Alpine resorts in Switzerland offer particularly favorable conditions for money laundering due to their remote locations and limited oversight. Jean-Philippe Navarre, a prosecutor from Corsica who has spent more than two decades investigating organized crime, confirms that links between Corsican clans and Switzerland date back several decades. He says that Corsican criminals invested in areas where geographical distance, opacity, and financial advantages allowed them to operate anonymously, far beyond the reach of French judicial authority. One key historical event that contributed to the growth of Corsican criminal networks was the 1990 robbery of a UBS bank branch in Geneva. Carried out by the Corsican gang Brise de Mer, the heist is considered one of the largest in Swiss history. Over 31 million Swiss francs were stolen, and according to Navarre, this vast amount served as a major starting point for expanding financial operations abroad. Unlike the Italian Mafia, which operates under a centralized leadership structure, the Corsican underworld consists of rival clans that compete for influence and gradually encroach upon legal economic sectors. Despite its reputation for being nearly impenetrable to foreign investigations, Navarre claims that cooperation with French requests has improved in recent years. He notes that Swiss authorities respond positively when cases involve tax evasion or money laundering, especially when supported by well-founded evidence. Claude Chossat, a former high-ranking member of the Corsican mafia, described the peak of the organization’s power. Once a bodyguard to Francis Marian, leader of the notorious Brise de Mer gang, Chossat earned the nickname “Devil’s Driver.” Today, he lives hidden in southern France, wears an electronic bracelet due to a conviction related to aiding murder, and fears retaliation from former associates. He participated in meetings, arranged escapes for his boss, and attended handovers of money-filled envelopes to mafia leaders. He was even present during the killing of Richard Casanove, alleged organizer of the UBS heist.