Marcel Francisci

Marcel Francisci
Born	1920
Died	16 January 1982 Paris, France
Occupation	Businessman and smuggler who allegedly controlled a drug trafficking ring supplying heroin from France to the United States.

Marcel Francisci (1920 – 16 January 1982) was an alleged member of the Unione Corse who was accused of masterminding the French Connection drug network. As a young man, Francisci fought in World War II and was awarded the Croix de Guerre. Following the war, he developed a business empire that included casinos in Britain, France and Lebanon. Francisci served in the general council (conseil général) of the Corse-du-Sud (UDR) and was a member of the Civic Action Service (SAC), a Gaullist militia. He was assassinated in Paris in 1982.

Marcel Francisci was born in Corsica circa 1919 or 1920. As a young man, he fought with the Free French Forces in Italy during World War II and was awarded four medals for acts of heroism, including the Croix de Guerre. After the armistice with Italy, he was recruited into the Corsican Mafia by Jo Renucci and began smuggling cigarettes and silk stockings between Tangiers and Marseilles. During this time, he also established narcotics contacts in various Arab countries.

In 1947 Renucci and Francisci become anti-Communist strongmen for the Rally of the French People (RDF), the forerunner of the present-day Gaullist Party (UDR). Seizing the opportunity, Francisci befriended members of the political coterie of Charles de Gaulle. Francisci's influence in the party grew with his bank account and he would later become a leader of the Gaullist Party in Corsica.

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