The new Epstein documents corroborate the sex offender’s connections to Switzerland.Image: AP
Possible exhumations of victims of the fire disaster, contradictions in Moretti’s salary information and WEF wages in the federal sights: this and more can be found in the Sunday newspapers.
02/01/2026, 07:0502/01/2026, 07:25
Exhumation of fire victims: Public prosecutor passes responsibility to families
According to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, the Valais public prosecutor’s office is passing the decision on possible exhumations of those killed in the fire disaster in Crans-Montana VS onto the families. They only order exhumations and autopsies if the victims’ families explicitly request them, lawyers for the families told the newspaper. According to the law, the public prosecutor’s office would have to decide for itself whether this was necessary. The investigative authority did not respond to a request. According to the newspaper, files from the public prosecutor’s office show why Switzerland only autopsied two victims: two weeks after the fire, the cantonal police were supposed to find out whether there were still unburied bodies in Swiss funeral homes. The two autopsies were probably simply the last victims who had not yet been buried, the “NZZ am Sonntag” concluded.
Tax return contradicts Moretti statements to investigators
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, bar operator Jacques Moretti’s statements about his and his wife’s income do not match the most recent tax return. The question therefore arises as to whether the bail of 200,000 francs was too low to lift his pre-trial detention. Moretti told the Valais public prosecutor’s office that he and his wife earned 10,000 francs a month and did not have much wealth, as the newspaper wrote. The interview took place as part of the investigation into the fire disaster in the bar he and his wife ran in Crans-Montana VS. In 2024, the couple had twice as much money available per month as stated, the “SonntagsZeitung” wrote based on their tax return. Since this tax return was only received in December 2025, according to the newspaper, it could be that the court relied on an excessively low tax return for 2023.
More details on the topic:
The Federal Council has set up a secret crisis team in Crans-Montana
According to “SonntagsBlick”, the Federal Council set up an extraordinary crisis team immediately after the fire disaster in Crans-Montana VS. The general secretaries of the Federal Councils have been coordinating work between departments, cantons and the Federal Chancellery since the beginning of January, as the newspaper wrote. The conference of cantonal governments, the canton of Valais and other bodies are involved. So far there have been five meetings led by Chancellor Viktor Rossi. The crisis team dealt, among other things, with what kind of reception the Federal Councilors should receive at the Winter Olympics and how they should answer critical media questions.
WEF Foundation pays millions to executives
According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations is critical of the remuneration paid to the management of the World Economic Forum (WEF). 11 out of 20 top executives received more than $900,000 in the 2023/24 financial year, as the newspaper wrote with reference to information from the US tax office IRS. At the top is CEO Børge Brende with over $1.9 million. The year before he received $1.6 million. Such remuneration from a charitable foundation, which is tax-exempt, is sensitive, the newspaper wrote. The supervisory authority has not yet formed a final opinion. The federal government has the task of preventing the foundation’s assets from being misused, said the director of foundation supervision, Nils Güggi. The remuneration was based on “benchmark data” for Switzerland, prepared by external experts, a WEF spokesman told the newspaper.
EDA uploads internal documents to the Microsoft cloud
According to information from “NZZ am Sonntag”, there has been a sensitive data leak in the foreign ministry. Documents classified as “internal” ended up in the Microsoft cloud, as the newspaper found in a report by the internal audit department of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA). “From a technical point of view, the device that is intended to prevent classified documents from being uploaded to the cloud is currently only partially functioning,” the EDA confirmed. There was no comment on the content of the affected data. According to the EDA, documents classified higher than “internal” – with more sensitive content – are not affected by the security gap. According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, US companies like Microsoft are obliged to make data on their servers accessible to the US authorities.
New Epstein documents show good connections to Switzerland
According to media reports, the documents published on Friday on the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein made clear his good connections in Switzerland. The documents showed in particular how closely Epstein’s environment was intertwined with the Swiss banking center for years, as the “NZZ am Sonntag” wrote. This was mixed with his constant search for new young women. The employee of a private bank repeatedly suggested women to him. Even after Epstein’s first conviction as a sex offender, his connections in the highest banking circles continued, as the newspaper wrote. Epstein was in contact with at least five women in Switzerland and made them financially dependent on him, wrote “SonntagsBlick”. For example, he paid for a six-week summer course for a young Russian woman at an elite school on Lake Geneva.
Slot machines remain permitted in French-speaking Switzerland – subject to certain conditions
According to “Le Matin Dimanche”, electronic games of chance, formerly Tactilos, remain permitted in French-speaking Switzerland. The intercantonal gaming authority has granted Loterie Romande a new license – combined with measures against excessive gambling – as the newspaper wrote. Excluded players must be denied access to the devices. In addition, the game will be blocked as soon as someone has reached the monthly deposit limit of 2,000 francs. These measures require the devices to be replaced by the end of 2027, the newspaper wrote. Loterie Romande was satisfied with this. However, according to “Le Matin Dimanche”, addiction experts remain critical.
Switzerland postpones dialogue with Iran on human rights
According to “SonntagsBlick”, Switzerland has postponed the human rights dialogue with Iran. The annual meeting between Swiss diplomats and Iranian representatives should actually have taken place soon, as the newspaper wrote. “Due to the current situation” it will probably be postponed until autumn. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) announced this to the newspaper. Switzerland will probably soon tighten sanctions against Iran, wrote “SonntagsBlick”. The European Union also wants to classify the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization. According to the newspaper’s information, the view that an appeasement policy towards Iran would not be rewarded has also prevailed in the EDA.
Criticism of Federal Council plans for emergency alerts
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the Federal Council’s aim to modernize the alerting of the population in emergencies has “set alarm bells ringing” in various places. In particular, the planned abolition of the emergency radio caused resistance during the consultation, as the newspaper wrote. Alerting via sirens and cell phones is not sufficient for most cantons. The Federal Council justified the abolition with its high costs. In addition to sirens, conventional radio and messages via the Alertswiss warning service, authorities will in future also be able to send warnings directly to mobile phones.
UBS wants to initiate a large wave of layoffs at the end of March
The lists for the already announced layoffs at the major bank UBS have been drawn up according to the “SonntagsZeitung”. At the end of March, the RIF letters, termination notices with a social program, will be sent out, as the newspaper wrote. Those particularly affected are former Credit Suisse (CS) employees and those who were responsible for the integration after it was taken over by UBS. Shortly after the takeover, CEO Sergio Ermotti announced that around 3,000 jobs would be eliminated in Switzerland by the end of 2026 as part of the integration. This number still applies. According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, UBS did not say how high the job cuts would be, including natural fluctuations, or how many layoffs there would be worldwide. (sda/con)