Former Mafia Chief Gunned Down on French Motorway

Jean-Pierre Maldera, once a prominent figure in the regional mafia, was pursued and killed in a brazen attack by multiple gunmen.

Authorities in southeastern France are probing the shocking assassination of Jean-Pierre Maldera, a former mafia leader aged 71, who was shot dead while traveling on the A41 motorway near Grenoble on Wednesday morning. Reports indicate that he was chased in his car before being confronted by three to four armed assailants. The gunmen reportedly used a military-grade weapon, including a Kalashnikov rifle, for the attack.

Following the shooting, the assailants fled the scene in a stolen Renault Megane, which was later discovered burned in a parking lot in Grenoble, further complicating the investigation. Maldera's killing marks a grim chapter in the history of organized crime in the region, coming nearly a decade after the mysterious disappearance of his younger brother, Robert Maldera, who was also entangled in mafia activities.

Local media outlets, such as Le Dauphiné Libéré, note that Maldera attempted to escape on foot after exiting his BMW but was ultimately overpowered by his attackers during the violent confrontation. Maldera's past is fraught with legal troubles; he was a central figure in the “Italo-Grenoblois” mafia from the 1980s to the 1990s and, alongside his brother, faced convictions for various organized crime offenses in 2004. However, both were released from prison the following year due to an administrative oversight.

Despite his notorious past, sources suggest that Jean-Pierre Maldera had attempted to lead a quieter life after his release in the early 2000s, with little information surfacing about him until the recent homicide. His brother, Robert, went missing in 2015 after attending a meeting and was last seen in the vicinity of Grenoble, adding layers of intrigue and suspicion to the Maldera family saga.

As investigations unfold, details surrounding the circumstances of Maldera’s death and any potential ties to organized crime remain a focal point for law enforcement officials and the public alike.