In a shocking development from the Swiss Alps, the manager of a nightclub where a devastating fire claimed 40 lives on New Year's Eve is now accused of fleeing the scene with the night's cash and deliberately destroying evidence. The tragedy at Le Constellation in the upscale resort of Crans-Montana has taken a disturbing turn as the owners face intense legal scrutiny.
Allegations of Abandonment and Evidence Tampering
According to reports from Italy's La Repubblica, Jessica Moretti, 40, the nightclub's manager, is accused by multiple witnesses of abandoning terrified partygoers as flames engulfed the venue. Witnesses claim they saw her carrying the cash register as she escaped. Moretti and her husband, Jacques Moretti, 49, both French nationals who have co-owned the swanky club since 2015, are now under formal investigation for manslaughter and for causing bodily harm to 119 other victims who suffered horrific burns.
The couple's actions in the immediate aftermath are a major focus. Their lawyer, Romain Jordan, who represents some of the 116 injured—many of them teenagers with catastrophic burns—revealed that Le Constellation's Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended between 3 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., while emergency services were still fighting the blaze and rescuing victims. The club's website was also taken offline.
Jordan argued that these accounts contained crucial videos of the packed holiday party and earlier festivities. Their removal, he stated, indicates that security concerns and liability "came to the managers' minds straight away." He emphasized the victims' demand for answers, saying, "My clients want the chain of responsibility that led to this drama to be clearly established."
The Fatal Celebration and Safety Questions
The inferno broke out around 1:30 a.m. on New Year's Day. Investigators believe the fire started when sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited the ceiling during the boozy celebration. This detail paints a grim picture of the festive atmosphere that turned deadly in moments.
In a statement to Swiss outlet La Tribune de Genève after the tragedy, Jacques Moretti, who was not inside the club during the fire, claimed that "everything was done according to the regulations." He asserted the nightclub had been inspected three times in the past decade. However, these claims are now under severe doubt. Jordan has called for a deeper probe into the Crans-Montana council after officials admitted the bar had not undergone a safety inspection since 2019.
Legal Reckoning and a Pledge to Cooperate
Despite the serious allegations, the Morettis released a statement expressing they were "devastated" and thinking of the victims. They pledged to cooperate with investigators and stated they would "in no way" seek to avoid responsibility. Meanwhile, investigators are painstakingly reviewing cellphone footage, security camera video from inside the bar, and footage from street cameras to reconstruct the event's timeline.
The case continues to unfold as Swiss authorities work to determine the full chain of events and accountability for one of the country's deadliest nightclub fires. The victims, their families, and the global community await justice for the 40 lives lost and the many more forever scarred.
