Wojciech Janowski
{{Short description|Polish economist and murderer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Wojciech Janowski
| image = Janowski foto.JPG
| caption = Janowski in 2010
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|8|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Warsaw, Poland
| nationality = Monegasque
| occupation = Businessman, diplomat, philanthropist
}}
Wojciech Janowski (born 15 August 1949) is a 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.{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45886876|title = Hélène Pastor murder: Polish son-in-law sentenced to life|work = BBC News|date = 17 October 2018|accessdate = 14 December 2020}}
Early life
Wojciech Janowski was born on 15 August 1949 in Warsaw, Poland.{{cite news|last1=Samuel |first1=Henry |title=Monaco heiress' son-in-law admits to 'involvement' in her murder |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/monaco/10930614/Monaco-heiress-son-in-law-admits-to-involvement-in-her-murder.html |accessdate=2 October 2015|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=27 June 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Willsher |first1=Kim |title=Monaco billionaire's son-in-law accused of ordering her murder |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/27/monaco-helene-pastor-son-in-law-wojciech-janowski-accused-murder |accessdate=2 October 2015|newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 June 2014}}
Career
Janowski was the manager of hotels and casinos in Monaco. Later, he served as the Chairman of Firmus SAM, a nanotechnology 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 for his philanthropy from French President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2010.
Personal life
Janowski lived with Sylvia Pastor, the daughter of billionaire heiress Hélène Pastor, 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.{{cite news|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/10/17/polish-diplomat-sentenced-life-prison-murder-monacos-wealthiest/|title = Polish diplomat sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Monaco's wealthiest woman Hélène Pastor|last = Samuel|first = Henry|date = 17 October 2018|accessdate = 14 December 2020|work = The Daily Telegraph}} 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
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Category:21st-century Polish criminals
Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Category:Businesspeople from Warsaw
Category:Knights of the Ordre national du Mérite
Category:Monegasque businesspeople
Category:Polish emigrants to Monaco
Category:Prisoners and detainees of Monaco
Category:Polish people convicted of murder
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