Swiss Ski Resort Inferno: Owner's Dark Criminal Past Emerges

One of the owners of the Swiss ski resort bar where 40 people were killed in a devastating New Year’s Eve fire has a long criminal history stretching back more than two decades, according to European media reports, adding a troubling layer to an already shocking tragedy.

The bar, Le Constellation, is co-owned by Jacques Moretti, a French national in his 60s originally from Corsica. Moretti is now under investigation following the deadly blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight on January 1 in the Swiss resort town of Crans-Montana. Investigators say revelers were trapped inside after decorative sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited the ceiling, triggering a rapid and uncontrollable fire.

French media have reported that Moretti is “no stranger” to the criminal justice system. According to those reports, he has previously been implicated in multiple criminal cases in France, including offenses related to pimping, fraud, kidnapping, and unlawful confinement, and served a prison sentence in the Savoie region. Belgian outlets have cited similar information from legal sources familiar with his record.

Moretti and his wife, Jessica, have co-owned the nightclub since 2015. Neither has been formally charged as of the latest updates, and both are cooperating with Swiss authorities. Moretti was not present at the bar when the fire broke out, while Jessica reportedly suffered burns to her arms and received medical treatment.

Swiss prosecutors have said they are examining whether to pursue charges including negligent arson and negligent manslaughter, depending on the outcome of the inquiry. More than 100 people were injured in the blaze, many with severe burns or smoke inhalation, making it one of the deadliest nightclub fires in recent European history.

Swiss Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said preliminary findings indicate the fire likely began when “incandescent candles placed in champagne bottles were brought too close to the ceiling,” causing the flames to spread almost instantly across the enclosed space.

Moretti has publicly maintained that the club complied with all Swiss safety regulations, noting that the venue had been inspected only three times over a ten-year period. Investigators are now scrutinizing those inspections, as well as the use of open flames and pyrotechnic-style decorations in a crowded indoor setting.

As the investigation continues, questions are mounting not only about fire safety enforcement, but also about how a venue linked to a figure with such a serious criminal past operated for years without closer scrutiny, until a single night ended in catastrophe.