The death of Antoine de Massy, a 29-year-old member of the Monaco royal family and cousin to Prince Albert, is under investigation after his body was discovered in a public garden on Sunday. Authorities are treating the death as a likely fall of 40 feet from a building, according to autopsy results. A Ukrainian national has been arrested in connection with the incident.
De Massy was last seen staggering from a nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was reported missing after failing to attend a family lunch, and his body was found shortly afterward behind the New National Museum along the Boulevard du Larvotto. Police apprehended a 42-year-old Ukrainian national, who was seen near the location on CCTV and had been in contact with De Massy. The arrested man declined to answer questions before a judge and is being held in pre-trial detention on charges of involuntary manslaughter and failure to assist a person in danger.
Rumors have emerged linking De Massy to a cryptocurrency scandal. An investigation by BILD suggests De Massy was active in Monaco's blockchain scene. He co-founded the company Instant Tech in 2021 and the 'Association Cryptographique de Monte-Carlo.' A source close to the family reportedly told BILD that De Massy may have been connected to Zondacrypto, a cryptocurrency exchange based in Poland. Zondacrypto is reportedly under investigation by authorities following its collapse, which allegedly left thousands of customers unable to access their funds, with damages estimated at over 79.5 million euros. Polish authorities are investigating the company for suspected fraud and money laundering.
While his connection to Zondacrypto remains unproven, the source described De Massy as a prominent figure in the tech world, suggesting he had the trust of Prince Albert II. Monaco itself has been under increased scrutiny by the Financial Action Task Force since 2024 and is listed on the international grey list for high-risk countries concerning money laundering due to identified weaknesses in its anti-money laundering efforts.
The Prince's Palace issued a statement on Monday expressing sadness over De Massy's death, noting he was the grandson of Princess Antoinette. De Massy was also remembered as a keen tennis player who pursued a professional career, training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida with aspirations of competing in the Olympics.
His father, Baron Christian de Massy, has a history of personal troubles, including being expelled from school and sent to Argentina in his youth. De Massy's parents divorced, and he has been described as a playboy figure by local media.
Antoine de Massy's last public appearance was at Monaco's National Day Mass in November 2025.