Where does all this money come from? In the financial section of the investigation into the Corsican criminal gang of Petit Bar, six new people were indicted in Marseille, including three for money laundering operations “Via bank transfers in China”, announced the prosecution, Wednesday April 7.
On Wednesday March 31, 17 people were arrested in Corsica and on the continent as part of this investigation by the interregional jurisdiction specializing in organized crime (JIRS) in Marseille. Between Friday and Tuesday, six of them were indicted for “Aggravated money laundering” due to organized gang action, “Laundering of tax fraud, laundering of drug trafficking and criminal association with a view to committing an offense punishable by ten years in prison” and “Non-justification of resources” for one of them, detailed the Marseille prosecutor’s office. Facts which would have been committed in France, but also, “By bond of indivisibility”, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Panama.
Philippe Porri imprisoned, his brother Pascal still running
Among the indicted, are “Three individuals from Aubervilliers”, in the Paris region, involved “In money laundering operations by offsets via bank transfers in China”, said the prosecution. According to a source close to the case, Philippe Porri, the brother of Pascal Porri, considered by justice as one of the lieutenants of Jacques Santoni, presumed head of the Petit Bar, is one of them. He was imprisoned, like two other people. The other three were placed under judicial supervision.
Philippe Porri was arrested and already on trial in October 2020 with four people, including Jacques Santoni, in the investigation into the attempted assassination of Guy Orsoni, son of former nationalist leader Alain Orsoni, considered an alleged member of the Corsican banditry rival of the Petit Bar gang. He was also sentenced to two years in prison in late October 2020 for his involvement in the fire at a restaurant in Ajaccio.
Still in 2020 but in September, as part of this money laundering investigation and another on an assassination attempt on Guy Orsoni, Pascal Porri, André Bacchiolelli and Mickaël Ettori, presented by the authorities as the « lieutenants » by Jacques Santoni, had escaped a police crackdown and have always been on the run.
48 million offshore and real estate investments
The investigation allowed “To highlight the handling of cash, numerous international financial movements as well as suspect real estate investments, all involving sums greatly exceeding the declared income of the accused”, had reported, in mid-January, the prosecutor of Marseille, Dominique Laurens, during a first series of indictments. Among them are in particular Jacques Santoni, severely disabled since 2003, several members of his inner circle, a lawyer and several entrepreneurs, including the former CEO of Corse-Matin Antony Perrino, in this money laundering file which, according to figures put forward by The world, would cover a total of 48 million offshore and real estate investments. On February 15, one of the indicted, Stéphane Raybier, committed suicide in Toulon prison.
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