Swiss prosecutors have added a forgery charge to the legal woes of Jessica Moretti, co‑owner of the Le Constellation nightclub where a New Year’s Eve blaze claimed 41 lives. the charge stems from a falsified 2015 invoice for sound‑insulation foam that investigators say may have fueled the fire . The hearing in Sion on Friday marked the latest development in a case that has already seen manslaughter and arson allegations.

Jessica Moretti charged with forging 2015 foam invoice

According to the court record, prosecutors allege that Jessica Moretti submitted a fabricated invoice for sound‑insulation foam used in the club’s basement ceiling. The document, dated 2015, is alleged to conceal the true source and specifications of the material that ignited when sparklers attached to champagne bottles were lit. Her lawyer maintained that the invoice is unrelated to the tragedy and that the charge is “clearly unrelated to the tragedy.”

41 deaths spark renewed scrutiny of fire safety in Crans‑Montana

The fire erupted just after midnight on January 1, 2024, when celebratory sparklers ignited the flammable foam, trapping mostly teenagers in the crowded venue. Emergency responders struggled with the remote ski‑resort location, and 115 people were injured alongside the 41 fatalities. As the report notes, the incident has intensified calls for stricter safety regulations in nightlife venues across Switzerland.

Victims' families accuse Morettis of collusion

Families of the victims, represented by Laetitia Brodard‑Sitre, whose 16‑year‑old son perished, accused the Morettis of “playing the victim” and of a “Everest of collusion” given that the couple shares a houeshold. lawyers for the families complained that the latest hearing came “too late” and warned of potential evidence tampering, urging faster action from investigators.

Fourteen people under investigation after New Year’s fire

Beyond the Morettis, a total of fourteen individuals—including current and former local officials—are now under criminal investigation for their possible roles in the disaster. the breadth of the probe reflects concerns that safety oversights may have been systemic rather than isolated to the nightclub owners.

Is the forged invoice directly linked to the blaze?

Open questions remain about whether the falsified invoice truly obscures a critical safety failure. Prosecutors argue the foam’s flammability was a key factor, while the defense insists the document is irrelevant. As the investigation proceeds,courts will need to determine if the forged paperwork altered the factual basis of the fire’s cause.