Albert Spaggiari
French criminal
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Key Takeaways
- Albert Spaggiari (14 December 1932 – 8 June 1989), nicknamed Bert, was a French criminal chiefly known as the organizer of a break-in into a Société Générale bank in Nice, France, in July 1976 that resulted in the theft of an estimated 46 million francs, none of which were ever found.
- His father died in 1935 and he grew up in Hyères, where his mother ran a lingerie store.
- During this time, he and a few accomplices put a gun to the head of someone that they claimed had robbed them.
- Following his release, he moved to North Africa and joined the Organisation armée secrète (OAS), a right-wing group that wanted to prevent Algerian independence.
- Spaggiari, seemingly having had put politics behind him, then moved to Nice, France, alongside his wife, Audi.
Albert Spaggiari (14 December 1932 – 8 June 1989), nicknamed Bert, was a French criminal chiefly known as the organizer of a break-in into a Société Générale bank in Nice, France, in July 1976 that resulted in the theft of an estimated 46 million francs, none of which were ever found.
Early life
Albert Spaggiari was born on 14 December 1932 in Laragne-Montéglin in the Hautes-Alpes to Richard and Marcelle (née Clément) Spaggiari. His father died in 1935 and he grew up in Hyères, where his mother ran a lingerie store.
At the age of 19, he enlisted as a paratrooper in the First Indochina War, and was posted to the 3rd Battalion colonial paratroopers. During this time, he and a few accomplices put a gun to the head of someone that they claimed had robbed them. The military court, however, believed that this was actually a stickup, and Spaggiari spent the next four years in jail.
Following his release, he moved to North Africa and joined the Organisation armée secrète (OAS), a right-wing group that wanted to prevent Algerian independence. This later led him to be sentenced to three and a half more years in jail, on the charges of political terrorism.
Spaggiari, seemingly having had put politics behind him, then moved to Nice, France, alongside his wife, Audi. They lived in a country villa, called The Wild Geese, where they raised chickens. He also worked as a photographer.
Work with the DINA
Albert Spaggiari and the Corsican Brotherhood (CB) were recruited in France by the Chilean secret police, Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional; Spaggiari had a good relationship with Augusto Pinochet. His codename was "Daniel". This group was called the DINA "Brigada Corsa" ("Corsican Brigade").
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