The eldest son of Mango fashion empire founder Isak Andic has been arrested by police in Catalonia as part of the investigation into the billionaire businessman’s death during a hiking trip near Barcelona in December 2024. ALSO READ: Founder of Spanish fashion brand Mango, dies in accident, aged 71.
Catalan regional police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, confirmed on Tuesday that Jonathan Andic — who had been alone with his 71-year-old father when he fell to his death in the Montserrat mountains — was taken into custody for questioning. The development was first reported by the newspaper La Vanguardia.
A spokesperson for the family confirmed to Spanish media that Jonathan Andic was being questioned by investigators, but declined to provide further details. The family had previously stated it was confident of his innocence after reports emerged last year that he was officially under investigation for possible homicide. ALSO READ: Family of Mango founder insists on son’s innocence amid Spanish media reports of homicide probe.
Isak Andic died after plunging more than 100 metres from a cliff near the Salnitre caves in Collbató, in the Montserrat area outside Barcelona, during what was described as a family hiking excursion. The rugged area is known for its steep drops and ravines.
At the time, investigators treated the incident as an accident, with early findings suggesting the businessman may have slipped. A judge formally closed the case in January 2025 after finding no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
However, the investigation was reopened in October 2025 following what police, prosecutors and the court reportedly considered inconsistencies in Jonathan Andic’s testimony. According to Spanish media reports, authorities had seized his mobile phone shortly after the death.
Newspaper El País also reported that investigators examined evidence relating to tensions within the family, including testimony from Isak Andic’s partner, professional golfer Estefania Knuth, who allegedly described a sometimes strained relationship between father and son.
The report said the pair had clashed over Jonathan Andic’s role within Mango. Isak Andic had reportedly granted his son greater operational control in 2014, before tightening his own grip on the company again a year later amid business difficulties.
Knuth was also reportedly involved in a separate financial dispute with Isak Andic’s three children concerning the Mango founder’s will.
Catalonia’s High Court said on Tuesday that the case remains under judicial secrecy and authorities have released very few official details about the reopened investigation.
Jonathan Andic has denied any involvement in his father’s death and has consistently maintained that the fall was accidental.
He joined Mango in 2005 after studying audiovisual communication in the United States and business studies in Spain. Two years later, he took over management of the Mango Man line and was serving as vice-chairman of Mango’s board when his father died.
‘If you are clear about where you want to go and keep moving forward, you will end up achieving your goals,’ Jonathan Andic said in a 2023 promotional video for the company.
Born in Istanbul, Isak Andic moved with his family from Turkey to Barcelona in the late 1960s. In 1984, together with his older brother Nahman, he opened the first Mango store on Barcelona’s Passeig de Gràcia.
The company grew rapidly as Spain emerged from the dictatorship of Franco and demand surged for more modern fashion brands. Mango went on to become one of the world’s largest clothing groups, with around 2,850 stores in more than 120 markets and over 16,400 employees worldwide.
At the time of his death, Forbes estimated Isak Andic’s fortune at around $4.5 billion.
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Detienen a Jonathan Andic, hijo del fundador de Mango, por la muerte de su padre tras precipitarse por un barranco en Barcelona. Estas son las últimas imágenes del empresario cuando acudía al entierro de su padre https://t.co/SAy8dqwNJs pic.twitter.com/ARLUPup4Jw
— Europa Press (@europapress) May 19, 2026
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