Wojciech Janowski (born 15 August 1949) is a Polish-born Monegasque former businessman, diplomat, and philanthropist. In 2018, he was sentenced to life in prison for ordering the murder of his mother-in-law,

Hélène Pastor Hélène Pastor (31 March 1937 – 21 May 2014) was a Monegasque businesswoman and heiress. She headed what is seen as Monaco’s ‘second dynasty’, and was the richest woman in the principality. She was assassinated by a gang that included he ...

Early life

Wojciech Janowski was born on 15 August 1949 in Warsaw, Poland.

Career

Janowski was the manager of hotels and casinos in Monaco. Later, he served as the Chairman of Firmus SAM, a

nanotechnology Nanotechnology, also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal o ...

company. Janowski served as the Chair of the Polish Chamber of Commerce in Monaco. He also served as Poland's honorary consul in Monaco until 2014.

Philanthropy

Janowski is a co-founder of Monaco Against Autism (MONAA). He was a recipient of the

National Order of Merit An order of merit is conferred by a state, government or royal family on an individual in recognition of military or civil merit. Order of merit may also refer to: * FIFA Order of Merit, for significant contribution to association football * PDC O ...

for his philanthropy from French President

Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. Born in Paris, he is of Hungarian, Greek Jewish, and French origin. Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Se ...

in 2010.

Personal life

Janowski lived with

Sylvia Pastor Sylvia may refer to: People *Sylvia (given name) *Sylvia (singer), American country music and country pop singer and songwriter *Sylvia Robinson, American singer, record producer, and record label executive *Sylvia Vrethammar, Swedish singer credi ...

, the daughter of billionaire heiress

, for 28 years, but they never married.

Criminal trial and conviction

On 6 May 2014, Hélène Pastor and her chauffeur, Mohamed Dariouch, were shot by a gunman while leaving Archet Hospital in Nice, France, where her son Gildo was recuperating from a stroke. Dariouch died on 11 May and Pastor died on 21 May. In June 2014, Janowski admitted to ordering the shooting. However, he initially retracted his confession and said he was not guilty, claiming he was unable to understand the initial questions asked to him in French by police. At the start of the trial in Monaco in 2018, he maintained that he was innocent, but five weeks later, Janowski, through his lawyer, formally admitted to ordering the shooting. The following day, he was sentenced to life in prison.

References

1949 births 21st-century criminals Alumni of the University of Cambridge Businesspeople from Warsaw Knights of the Ordre national du Mérite Living people Monegasque businesspeople Pastor family Polish emigrants to Monaco Prisoners and detainees of Monaco {{Monaco-bio-stub