The son of the billionaire owner of fashion giant Mango has been placed under formal investigation on suspicion of homicide after his father plunged nearly 500ft to his death.
Isac Andic’s son, Jonathan, was the only person with the 71-year-old businessman when he died last December after falling during a mountain walk near Barcelona.
A judge probing the incident had provisionally archived his investigation after finding no evidence pointing to the entrepreneur’s death being a crime.
In March, the judge, based at a court in Martorell near Barcelona, reopened his probe into Turkish immigrant Mr Andic’s December 14 2024, death in Collbato close to the Catalan capital.
Police sources insisted at the time that they were still treating it as an accident.
But overnight, in a shock development, Spanish media reported that 44-year-old Jonathan, questioned twice as a witness over the tragedy, was now being investigated on suspicion of homicide. He has not been formally charged with any crime at this stage.
A family spokesman said last night: ‘The Andic family has not made any comments over the past few months regarding the death of Isak Andic, nor will it do so in the future.
‘However, it wishes to show its respect for the proceedings that have been carried out in this regard and will continue to cooperate with the competent authorities as it has done until now.
It is also confident that this process will be concluded as soon as possible and that Jonathan Andic’s innocence will be proven.’
Jonathan Andic was the sole witness to his dad’s death.
Reports at the time of the fatal plunge of one of Spain’s richest men, subsequently corroborated by police sources, said his son was walking in front of him and turned round when he heard the sound of falling stones behind him to see his father had gone over the edge of the footpath.
Jonathan Andic, who was the only person with his 71-year-old father when he died after falling nearly 500ft during a mountain walk near Barcelona, has been put under formal investigation
Isac Andic in a photograph released by Mango in December 2024. In March, a judge based at a court in Martorell near Barcelona, reopened his probe into his death
A photograph from the scene of the fall shows rescue helicopters attempting to reach the businessman
He was quizzed for more than three hours as a witness at a police station in the town of Martorell on January 31 about the circumstances surrounding his wealthy father’s death after giving a statement immediately after the tragedy.
Police also questioned the Mango co-founder’s partner, Estefania Knuth, the last person besides Mr Andic’s chauffeur and his son to see him alive, as well as a local police officer who went to the scene.
The decision to change Jonathan’s judicial status, reportedly made just over a fortnight ago although it only emerged overnight, is understood to have enabled police to ramp up their analysis of his mobile phone as part of the ongoing probe.
Contradictions in Mr Andic’s son’s two statements, as well as the ‘complex’ relationship between the entrepreneur and his son, are said to be behind the judge’s decision to place him under formal investigation.
It has previously been reported that he told officers he had left his car in one place and it was in another, or that he hadn’t taken photos of the area when he had.
Mr Andic and his son were visiting the Collbato Caves in the heart of the magical Monserrat mountain when the tragedy occurred.
Spanish newspaper El Pais, one of the first to report Isak Andic’s death was now being investigated as a ‘possible homicide’, said: ‘To date, investigators have found no direct, let alone definitive, evidence that would allow them to conclude exactly what happened that morning in Montserrat.
‘However, over the months, they have come across a series of clues which, taken together, have led them to dismiss the idea of a mere accident and consider the possibility that it was a homicide.
‘The statements made by two witnesses were key to this change of direction. One is Jonathan Andic, one of the businessman’s three children, the only son and the only one who was with him at the time of the incident.
‘His explanations have been inconsistent and have fuelled suspicion. Not only was his first statement, given under the strong emotional impact of the event, erratic. His second statement, made some time later, when he was calmer, was also erratic.
‘The witness contradicted himself in any case, left gaps in his account, and described events that were inconsistent with the results of the on-site inspection carried out by the police on the mountain of Montserrat.
‘The second relevant testimony in the case was that of Estefania Knuth, a professional golfer and the businessman’s partner in the last years of his life.
‘According to sources close to the investigation, Knuth emphasised the poor relationship between father and son.’
The investigating judge has placed a secrecy order over the case, limiting the amount of information civil servants can give out.
Turkish immigrant Isak founded Mango along with his brother Nahman in 1984.
By March 2024, it had over 14,000 employees working in more than 2,700 stores operating in over 110 countries, with 45 stores in the UK.
Last year, Mango announced it was teaming up with Victoria Beckham to launch a new capsule collection to mark its 40th anniversary.
Forbes had estimated Mr Andic’s net worth shortly before his death at $4.5 billion, making him Catalonia’s richest man and one of Spain’s wealthiest people.
He owned a private plane which cost him more than £25million and a 175ft yacht with around the same value.
He was planning to have the world’s largest yacht built but U-turned on the idea of Nirvana II before construction of the more than 330ft-long vessel got underway.
His discreet lifestyle meant that until 2007 he didn’t make public appearances and was very difficult to photograph.
Andic was the founder of fashion giant, Mango
In the year 2010 he was Spain’s second richest man. Jonathan was one of his three grown-up children. He had two daughters, Judith and Sarah.
Catalan president Salvador Illa said on X after learning about Mr Andic’s death: ‘Devastated by the loss of Isak Andic, a committed businessman who, with his leadership has contributed to making Catalonia great and projecting it to the world.
‘He leaves an indelible mark on the Catalan and global fashion sector. My condolences and those of the entire Government to the family, friends, and the Mango team.’
Mango CEO Tony Ruiz said in a statement: ‘It is with deep regret that we announce the unexpected death of Isak Andic, our non-executive Chairman and founder of Mango, in an accident that occurred this Saturday.
‘Isak has been an example for all of us. He dedicated his life to Mango, leaving an indelible mark thanks to his strategic vision, his inspiring leadership and his unwavering commitment to values that he himself imbued in our company.
‘His legacy reflects the achievements of a business project marked by success, and also by his human quality, his proximity and the care and affection that he always had and at all times conveyed to the entire organization.
‘His departure leaves a huge void but all of us are, in some way, his legacy and the testimony of his achievements.
‘It is up to us, and this is the best tribute we can make to Isak and which we will fulfill, to ensure that Mango continues to be the project that Isak aspired to and of which he would feel proud.
‘In these extremely difficult times we share the pain of the family as if it were our own.’
