Son-in-law charged in heiress murder that rattled Monaco's upper crust
Polish honorary consul allegedly paid duo for Mafia-style hit that shook Monaco society
The son-in-law of a Monaco heiress gunned down in a Mafia-style killing has been charged with her murder for allegedly paying hitmen €250,000 (HK$263,895) in cash and "presents" for the brazen attack that has shaken the principality's super-rich.
Wojciech Janowski, a 64-year-old who served as Poland's honorary consul in Monaco, was charged for last month's killing of 77-year-old Helene Pastor, Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin said.
Robin said Janowski had spent €200,000 in cash and €50,000 worth of presents to carry out the contract killing.
Robin said Janowski's motive was to "lay his hands on the heritage" of his partner Sylvia Pastor, Helene Pastor's eldest daughter.
He said Sylvia Pastor felt "betrayed" by the affair. "She is in a very difficult psychological state," Robin said, adding that Janowski's personal trainer had "organised" the killing.
Poland said yesterday that Janowski had been stripped of his honorary consul title "because of the loss of the irreproachable reputation that is essential for this role". The role did not confer diplomatic immunity.
Janowski has been in custody since Monday, when he was arrested along with 22 others by police investigating the shooting of Pastor multiple times with a sawn-off shotgun as she was leaving a hospital in the French Riviera city of Nice.