Trial Begins for Corsican Mafia Clan 'Petit Bar' Accused of International Money Laundering and Organized Crime
24 defendants face charges in Marseille, including the group's alleged leader and key associates, for laundering millions from drug trafficking, extortion, and other illicit activities.
- The 'Petit Bar' criminal organization, originating in Ajaccio in the early 2000s, is accused of operating a sophisticated international money laundering network tied to drug trafficking and extortion.
- The trial, expected to last three months, involves 24 defendants, with four currently on the run, including Michael Ettori, a key financier of the group.
- Jacques Santoni, the alleged leader of the clan and referred to as the 'parrainplégique' due to his paralysis since 2010, is accused of overseeing the group's operations and laundering millions in cash.
- Authorities uncovered the group's financial schemes through years of surveillance, including wiretaps revealing large-scale cash handling and connections to economic elites in Corsica and abroad.
- The justice system aims to dismantle the gang's influence by targeting its financial operations, with links to Hong Kong, Switzerland, and Luxembourg, and support from high-profile business figures.
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