Son of fashion giant ‘Mango’ founder Isak Andic arrested in connection with tycoon’s death in 2024

Spanish police said on Tuesday they had arrested Jonathan Andic, the eldest son of Mango founder Isak Andic, over the death of the billionaire businessman while hiking in December 2024.Jonathan Andic, 45, was alone with his father when the 71-year-old retail magnate fell to his death in the Montserrat mountains near Barcelona. Catalonia regional police confirmed he had been detained and escorted in handcuffs to the Martorell courthouse for questioning.Sources close to Jonathan Andich’s family were quoted by AFP as saying they were “completely” convinced of Jonathan Andich’s innocence, adding that “there is and will not be any legal evidence against him”.They also expressed confidence that “the investigation process will prove this” and called for “respect for the presumption of innocence.”Authorities initially treated Isaac Andich’s death as an accident, saying he appeared to have slipped near the Salnit Cave in Corbato, an area known for its steep cliffs and canyons. The judge closed the case in January 2025 after finding no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.However, the investigation was reportedly reopened in October 2025 after police, prosecutors and courts found inconsistencies in Jonathan Andich’s testimony.Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that investigators confiscated Jonathan Andic’s phone shortly after the incident. The report also cited testimony from Isaac Andic’s partner, professional golfer Estefania Knut, who described a sometimes tense relationship between father and son. The two men disagreed over Jonathan’s role in the company, the newspaper reported. Isak Andic reportedly gave him greater operational responsibilities in 2014, only to take back tighter control a year later when the Mango business ran into difficulties. Knuth also reportedly had financial disputes with his three children over Isaac Andich’s will.Catalonia’s high court said details of the case remained under judicial confidentiality.Meanwhile, Jonathan Andich has denied any involvement in his father’s death and insists the fall was an accident. He joined Mango in 2005 after studying audiovisual communication in the United States and business in Spain. Two years later, he began managing the Mango Man franchise and later became vice chairman of the company’s board of directors. “If you know where you want to go and keep going, you will eventually achieve your goals,” Jonathan Andic said in a promotional video for Mango 2023 posted on YouTube.Isak Andic was born in Istanbul and moved to Barcelona from Türkiye with his family in the late 1960s. He founded Mango in 1984 after opening the brand’s first store on Barcelona’s Paseo de Gracia with his brother Nahman.Mango has since grown to become one of the world’s leading fashion retailers, operating approximately 2,850 stores in more than 120 markets and employing more than 16,400 people worldwide.In December 2023, Isak Andic transferred 5% of the company’s shares to Mango CEO Toni Ruiz, who currently leads the group. At the time of Isaac Andich’s death, Forbes estimated his fortune at $4.5 billion.