Spanish police are investigating the death of Isak Andic, the founder of the fashion giant Mango, as a possible homicide, and his son is under formal investigation.
Andic, 71, died on December 14 last year after falling more than 100 metres while hiking with his eldest son, Jonathan, in the Montserrat mountains near Barcelona. Police initially ruled the death accidental, but inconsistencies in his son’s testimony prompted a judicial review.
A court has placed Jonathan Andic, 44, under formal investigation for homicide, according to El Pais, following what police described as “contradictory statements” and “grey areas” in his two accounts of events. His version, the newspaper said, did not align with forensic evidence collected at the site.
Investigators also cited the testimony of the professional golfer Estefanía Knuth, Andic’s partner, who described strained relations between father and son. No direct evidence of foul play has been found, but the court has ordered secrecy over the proceedings while police attempt to verify or dismiss the circumstantial clues.
In a statement to Spanish media, family representatives said: “The Andic family has not commented, and will not comment, on Isak Andic’s death. It wishes to show respect for the ongoing proceedings and will continue co-operating fully with the authorities. The family is confident that this process will end soon and that Jonathan Andic’s innocence will be proven.”
The investigating judge changed Jonathan Andic’s status from witness to suspect in September and authorised police to examine the contents of his mobile phone, La Vanguardia newspaper reported, citing judicial sources.
Jonathan Andic
LORENA SOPENA/ANADOLU/GETTY IMAGES
Isak Andic and his son walked along the path of Les Feixades, a 5km trail that links the Salnitre caves in Collbato with the Montserrat monastery, a simple route that families take every day without difficulty.
It was on the return journey, just a few metres short of the car park at the foot of Montserrat monastery, when, Jonathan Andic has said, he heard the sound of stones falling behind them. The son, who was walking ahead at that moment, said he turned around and saw his father fall off a cliff in an unfenced section. His father died instantly.
The Catalan regional police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, have found no conclusive proof of homicide, but said the combination of contradictions and circumstantial signs justified keeping the case open. There were no other witnesses to the fall, which occurred on a trail described by investigators as “not especially dangerous”.
The distribution of Andic’s legacy has sparked a financial dispute between Knuth and the businessman’s three children, according to El Pais. Andic’s estate was divided equally, as planned and without conflict, between his son, Jonathan, and two daughters, Judith and Sarah, who completed the formalities to accept it this week.
The legacy, another part of his immense fortune — the fifth largest in Spain, according to Forbes — was distributed by Andic, in accordance with his will, among various people. One of the beneficiaries was Knuth, who disagreed with the amount set by the man with whom she had had a romantic relationship for the last six years. She believed that she should have received €70 million, according to the newspaper.
Since then, the businessman’s family and Knuth, who manages several companies, have been negotiating to resolve the conflict.
The children were open to being more generous, but never reached Knuth’s desired figure, so the negotiations reached a deadlock and no agreement was reached.
As the inheritance has been accepted before a notary by the children, Knuth has three options: accept the figure proposed by the children, continue exploring the negotiation, or take civil action.
Born in Istanbul and long based in Barcelona, Isak Andic built Mango into one of Europe’s biggest fashion empires, operating in more than 120 countries with some 2,800 stores and over 16,000 employees. His fortune was estimated by Forbes at about $4.5 billion.
Although largely retired from daily management, he remained a key influence in Mango’s strategy. Following his death, the company’s board appointed Toni Ruiz, the chief executive, as its chairman and reorganised its holding structure.
Jonathan started his professional career at Mango in 2005 after studying audiovisual communication in the US and business in Spain.
He began to manage the Mango Man line two years later and is the vice-chairman of Mango’s board, according to the company’s website. He left his executive position in June.
“If you are clear about where you want to go and keep moving forward, you will end up achieving your goals,” he said in a Mango promotional video posted on YouTube two years ago.
No charges have been filed. The Mossos d’Esquadra declined to comment.