The son of the billionaire founder of fashion giant Mango has been arrested by police on suspicion of homicide in Barcelona after his father's death in a 2024 mountain fall. Isak Andic's 45-year-old son Jonathan was held this morning following a police and court investigation, Catalan daily La Vanguardia has reported.
The businessman has always protested his innocence and insisted his 71-year-old father died by accident despite being placed at the centre of the probe. A spokesman for the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan regional police, said: 'I can confirm the detention of Jonathan Andic on suspicion of the homicide of his father, Isak Andic.'
Background of the Incident
Mr Andic, originally from Turkey, had been on a visit to the Collbato Caves with Jonathan in the heart of the Montserrat mountains when he died on December 14, 2024. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported in October last year that police were probing Mr Andic's death and that Jonathan had been formally placed under investigation by the courts after previously being treated as a witness. Several other Spanish media outlets carried the same claims in follow-up reports.
Family Response
An Andic family spokesman said at the time: '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.'
A secrecy order placed over the case by the investigating judge, a tool commonly used in Spain to protect judicial probes especially in their infancy, has limited the amount of information civil servants can give out.
Isak Andic's Legacy
Isak, also father to two daughters Judith and Sarah, 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. It went on to announce 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 £25 million and a 175ft yacht with around the same value.
Mr Andic 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. In the year 2010 he was Spain's second richest man.
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.'
