Spanish police confirmed on Friday that the investigation into the sudden death of Mango clothing empire founder Isak Andič was still ongoing, following reports that his son had emerged as a suspect.
Andic, 71, died in December 2024 after falling more than 100 meters while hiking with his eldest son Jonathan in the Montserrat mountains near Barcelona, AFP reported.
Police initially treated the death as accidental but are now investigating Jonathan, 44, for possible murder, El Pais newspaper reported on Thursday, citing “various sources with knowledge of the investigation”, according to AFP.
What did the police say?
Jonathan, who was the only person with his father at the time of the incident, gave “inconsistent” evidence in two statements that “raised suspicion”, he said.
His version of events did not match forensic evidence collected at the scene, the paper said.
Catalan regional police sources contacted by AFP confirmed that the investigation is ongoing without giving further details as the case remains under judicial secrecy.
The Supreme Court of Catalonia said in a statement that the investigation was in the hands of the police and that “procedurally at this moment” it was not aimed at “any specific person”.
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Citing sources familiar with the investigation, the Barcelona daily La Vanguardia said that an investigating judge formally changed Jonathan’s status from a witness to a suspect in late September and that police were searching the contents of his mobile phone.
Spanish media said police also cited the testimony of Isak Andica’s partner, professional golfer Estefania Knuth, who described the strained relationship between father and son.
The path followed by Isak Andic and his son connects the Salnitre Caves in Collbato with the Montserrat Monastery and is popular with families at weekends.
Jonathan’s professional career
Jonathan began his professional career at Mango in 2005 after studying audiovisual communication in the United States and business in Spain.
Two years later, he began managing the Mango Man line and is currently vice chairman of Mango, according to the company’s website.
“If you’re clear about where you want to go and keep pushing forward, you’ll eventually reach your goals,” he said in a Mango promotional video posted on YouTube two years ago.
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In a statement sent to Spanish media, the Andic family said they were “fully cooperating with the authorities” and “are confident that this trial will end as soon as possible and that Jonathan Andic’s innocence will be proven.”
Isak Andic, born in Istanbul, was one of the richest Spaniards, Forbes estimated his and his family’s fortune at 4.5 billion dollars.
In December 2023, Isak Andic took an unprecedented step to open up ownership of Mango, selling a 5.0 percent stake to Toni Ruiz, the current chairman of the board.
Mango
Andic opened his first mango store on Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona’s famous shopping street, in 1984 with the help of his older brother Nahman. It was tremendously successful.
(FILES) This image released by Mango on December 14, 2024 shows the non-executive chairman and founder of fashion powerhouse Mango Isak Andic, who died unexpectedly on December 14, 2024. Spanish police are investigating the sudden death of Mango clothing empire founder Isak Andic as a possible murder, with his son as the main suspect. Catalan police. Andic, 71, who founded one of Europe’s biggest fashion groups with around 2,800 stores worldwide, plunged to his death while hiking in the mountains outside Barcelona in December last year to public shock. (Photo: HANDOUT / AFP)
Spain had just emerged from a decades-long dictatorship that ended with the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975, and consumers were hungry for more modern clothing.
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His Mango brand quickly expanded across Spain and grew into one of the world’s leading fashion retailers. Known for its mix of professional and casual styles, the company now operates in more than 120 markets and employs more than 16,400 people worldwide, according to its website.
