In a shocking incident that has sent ripples through the Corsican community, Robert Moracchini, a prominent figure in the notorious criminal gang known as La Brise de Mer, was shot and killed on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in the heart of Bastia. The assassination took place shortly before 8 AM, in front of his home on Rue du Commandant Luce de Casabianca, just a stone's throw from the local police station.
According to eyewitness accounts, more than a dozen shots were fired during the attack, prompting a swift response from emergency services and law enforcement. Jean-Philippe Navarre, the prosecutor of Bastia, confirmed that Moracchini died from gunshot wounds and announced the launch of an investigation into organized gang murder and criminal association. The case has been entrusted to the interdepartmental directorate of the national police of Haute-Corse.
Moracchini, 65, was a well-known figure in Bastia and was considered one of the founding members of La Brise de Mer, a gang that has dominated organized crime in Corsica since the 1980s. The gang, which took its name from a bar in Bastia, has been linked to numerous criminal activities, including armed robberies and drug trafficking, and has left a lasting impact on the island.
Born in June 1959 in La Porta, Moracchini's criminal history includes a high-profile trial in 1985, where he was acquitted of the murder of nightclub manager Daniel Ziglioli, a case that required relocation to Dijon to avoid jury tampering. Despite being a suspect in various criminal activities throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Moracchini had only a sparse criminal record, with a conviction in 1987 for misuse of company assets, resulting in a 20-month prison sentence, 12 of which were suspended.
In recent years, Moracchini had adopted a quieter life, running a tobacco shop and a café in Bastia. His name made headlines in December 2023 when he became the first Corsican to successfully climb Everest at the age of 64, an achievement that garnered significant media attention.
The murder of Moracchini marks the sixth homicide in Corsica since the beginning of the year, with five of those being classified as targeted killings. This surge in violence has raised alarms among local officials, with the prefect of Corsica, Jérôme Filippini, noting that the island recorded 18 homicides and 16 attempted homicides in 2024, a staggering figure for its population of approximately 355,000.
La Brise de Mer has a notorious legacy, having been responsible for a series of high-profile crimes, including the 1990 robbery of the Union de banques suisses in Geneva and the hijacking of an Air France plane in 1992. However, the gang's influence has waned since the late 2000s, when internal conflicts led to a bloody power struggle, resulting in numerous killings, including the assassination of key figures such as Richard Casanova in 2008 and the mysterious disappearance of Francis Mariani in 2009.
The circumstances surrounding Moracchini's assassination remain unclear, and the police have launched a manhunt for the shooters, who are currently at large. As investigations unfold, the community of Bastia is left grappling with the implications of this violent act and its potential links to the ongoing legacy of organized crime on the island.
With the local authorities emphasizing the need for heightened security measures, residents are left to wonder: will this latest murder reignite the cycle of violence that has plagued Corsica for decades? As the investigation continues, many are calling for justice and the restoration of peace in a region that has seen too much bloodshed.
