Regis Mijatovic Dead — Christian Audigier’s Former Business Partner Shot Dead – Hollywood Life

Christian Audigier’s Business Partner Regis Mijatovic Shot Dead In Alleged Mafia Ambush

Ed Hardy designer Christian Audigier, who is currently battling cancer, is dealing with the loss of his former business partner, Regis Mijatovic, who was tragically gunned down and murdered in the French Riviera in an alleged Mafia hit. Regis Mijatovic, 45, Christian Audigier's former business partner, was gunned down and shot dead in an alleged Mafia ambush while dining at a seafood restaurant near Cros de Cagnes, near Nice, in the French Riviera. Regis was dining with Giovanni Tagliamento, an ex-Mafia boss, when the ambush took place after 10PM on June 8. Giovanni was also shot in the attack.

Reading Time: 3 minutes
Image Credit: Getty

An onlooker described the horrific course of events to the Daily Mail. “The restaurant was packed and people were enjoying a quiet dinner,” she said. “We heard the roar of a motorbike, but that’s fairly normal round here. Then around ten blasts rang out and people started screaming. Glasses were smashed, tables were uplifted and a crowd of people ran into the road. I got up to see what the commotion was and saw a load of people gathered around a man who covered in blood. We didn’t see anyone pointing a gun and we didn’t see who did it. Just the aftermath. It was a horrendous scene.”

The woman’s husband, an ex-banker who has an apartment in Cros de Cagnes, said Regis was well known. “He always wore bright, loud clothes and had a lot of tattoos. People knew who he was,” he said. “He had his fingers in a lot of pies. You would often see him driving along the front in nice cars – I think he had a Ferrari.”

Guests at the restaurant screamed in horror as the shots rang out. “I never met him personally but am aware that he mixed in certain shadowy circles,” he continued. “You think you’re safe on holiday enjoying nice food and wine then something like this happens. We could easily have been caught in cross fire. You wouldn’t think this is a dangerous place to be but there is a lot of money here and you often see or hear of Italian and Russian mafia mobsters in the area.”

The gunman took off on his motorcycle, escaping from the scene before the police arrived.

Regis, who was declared dead at the scene, has been linked to organized crime. He was jailed for five years for drug conspiracy in southern France and in 2000 he was deported from the US.

Christian, 54, was diagnosed with MDS in January 2015. He received chemotherapy for the form of cancer and a bone marrow transplant in March 2015. The designer is just devastated by the news. “They were good friends. Regis created a new range of merchandise, bringing out the Ed Hardy brand of energy drinks and lighters and was a successful businessman,” a source close to the designer told the Daily Mail. “Christian is obviously facing a huge personal battle at the minute and this is news that has deeply saddened him.”

Katrina Mitzeliotis