Jacques Moretti Hearing: Crans-Montana Fire Questions Remain

Jacques Moretti sat through nearly nine hours of questions on Nov 2. Many families left with more doubts than answers. He owns Le Constellation, the Crans-Montana bar where a fire killed 41 people on New Year’s Day. Ten months on, the Crans-Montana fire investigation is far from over. We looked at what happened in the room, who else is under investigation, and what comes next.

This is a real tragedy with real victims. Everyone named below is only under investigation. No court has found anyone guilty.

Why Jacques Moretti Faced Questions Again on Nov 2

Prosecutors in Valais called the bar owner back to Sion for a new hearing. He arrived in a police van at the Energypolis campus, swissinfo reported. He avoided the cameras and the victims’ relatives at the entrance.

The plan was a face-to-face session with his wife, Jessica Moretti. The couple had met this way before, on June 5. However, prosecutors dropped her appearance at the last minute. They cited her “particularly severe state of mental fragility.” Her hearing now moves to Dec 2.

Moretti has been in pre-trial detention since mid-August. That detention is not about the fire. It relates to a separate case, in which he is suspected of domestic violence against his wife. Bluewin reported that he denies those allegations.

What Jacques Moretti Told Prosecutors

Survivors and relatives attended, and some came for the first time. Their lawyers put questions to him on their behalf. According to bluewin, the focus was on how the bar ran rather than on the night itself.

Reports from the room give a few details:

• 2015 renovation: Investigators again examined the basement works. Blick said Moretti acknowledged narrowing the basement staircase. He added that he met the legal requirements.
• Permits and exits: France 3 reported that questions covered permits and safety. They included emergency exits that were allegedly locked that night.
• Money laundering: His lawyer told prosecutors that Moretti would not answer civil parties’ questions on this topic. Investigators opened a separate inquiry. The file includes a Fedpol report noting “anomalous” account movements and “opaque transactions.”

His lawyer, Patrick Michod, said this was the sixth hearing. He said his client had answered more than 650 questions overall. Yet Michod also said the day did not move the case forward, according to France 3.

Victims’ lawyers agreed. They called the process slow, and several sources described the hearing as “disjointed” or “laborious,” Le Temps wrote. We can understand that frustration. Families have waited since January.

Who Else Is Under Investigation in Crans-Montana

The case reaches well beyond the couple. In total, 17 people are under investigation. Besides Jacques and Jessica Moretti, the list includes:

• Eight current or former local politicians, including mayor Nicolas Féraud.
• Seven current or former municipal employees.

The main charges are negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent arson. Since June, Jessica Moretti also faces a charge of document forgery. It concerns an allegedly forged invoice for acoustic foam, bluewin said.

Local officials admitted no fire-safety check had happened at the bar since 2019, RTS reported. So the probe asks a wider question. Did the authorities do their oversight job? That question is still open. Fire-safety oversight is also under review in Hong Kong, as our Tai Po fire reforms report shows.

Earlier, we covered Swiss venue liability, the new fraud charges and the pressure on prosecutors.

Why the Crans-Montana Fire Investigation Moves So Slowly

One big piece is still missing: the scientific report on the fire. Prosecutors asked the Zurich Forensic Institute and the Swiss Safety Center to write it. They first expected results by the end of August. Now the report is due end of January 2027 at the earliest, bluewin said.

The experts will study the foam in the bar’s basement. They will test how easily it ignited and how it burned. They will also explain how the fire spread so fast.

After that, a long road remains. Prosecutors expect the criminal investigation to take several more years. No indictment and no trial date exist yet. For anyone following the Jacques Moretti case, patience will matter.

Compensation, Insurance and Costs After the Fire

Money questions are growing too. We found these verified points in the bluewin overview:

• In March 2026, Switzerland passed an emergency law. It pays a one-time CHF 50,000 to each person killed or seriously injured.
• In early October, Parliament approved up to CHF 20 million for a roundtable led by Laurent Kurth. That money adds to insurance benefits and does not replace them.
• Switzerland will cover the medical costs of the twelve Italian victims treated there.
• Lawyer Sébastien Fanti, who represents several victims, estimates the costs for Crans-Montana at several hundred million francs. The town’s budget has set aside CHF 5 million so far.

The canton is reviewing Fanti’s request for an inquiry into the town’s finances. Crans-Montana votes on its 2027 budget on Dec 20. We found no listed company named in these reports, so we cannot link this story to a specific stock.

What Happens Next for Jacques Moretti and the Case

Several dates matter now:

• Dec 2: Planned joint hearing of Jacques and Jessica Moretti.
• Dec 20: Crans-Montana’s vote on its 2027 budget.
• Jan 1, 2027: First anniversary, with a memorial service at 10 a.m. in Grône.

Moreover, the expert report could change the picture once it arrives. Until then, the Crans-Montana fire investigation will keep asking who knew what and when.

Conclusion: Jacques Moretti and the Questions That Remain

The Nov 2 hearing let families face Jacques Moretti, but it settled little. The expert report, the Dec 2 session and the budget vote come next. We will keep tracking verified updates from Swiss authorities and trusted outlets.

FAQ: Jacques Moretti and the Crans-Montana Fire

Who is Jacques Moretti?

Jacques Moretti co-owns Le Constellation, the Crans-Montana bar where the fire broke out. He is under investigation, along with 16 other people. He has not been convicted.

What happened at the Nov 2 hearing?

Prosecutors questioned him in Sion for nearly nine hours. Victims’ lawyers asked questions too. He declined to answer on money laundering.

How many people are under investigation?

Seventeen people, including the couple, eight current or former politicians and seven municipal staff. The main charges involve negligence.

When will the fire expert report arrive?

Prosecutors now expect it at the end of January 2027 at the earliest. It was first due at the end of August.

Is Jacques Moretti in custody?

Yes. He has been in pre-trial detention since mid-August, but over a separate case of alleged domestic violence. He denies it.

What compensation do victims get?

The emergency law pays CHF 50,000 to each person killed or seriously injured. Parliament also approved up to CHF 20 million for further solutions.

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