What was once believed to be a tragic hiking accident involving one of fashion’s most powerful billionaires has now taken a shocking turn.
Jonathan Andic, the 43-year-old son of Mango founder Isak Andic, has reportedly been arrested and taken into custody by Catalan police on Tuesday, May 19, on suspicion of his father’s homicide.
Highlights
- Jonathan Andic was arrested after investigators reportedly uncovered evidence contradicting his version of his billionaire father’s fatal cliff fall.
- Authorities reopened the case months after initially ruling Isak Andic’s demise a tragic hiking accident.
- The investigation also brought renewed attention to the alleged financial and leadership tensions between the father and son within the Mango empire.
Investigators allegedly uncovered evidence contradicting Jonathan’s account of the 2024 cliff fall that left the billionaire fashion mogul deceased.
As details surrounding the case continue to emerge, the internet has erupted with disbelief and speculation, with one user writing, “Geez, who needs enemies??? Love of money is the root of all evil!”
Jonathan Andic, son of the late Mango fashion empire founder Isak Andic, was arrested earlier today on suspicion of homicide
Image credits: Lorena Sopena/Europa Press/Getty Images
Isak Andic, alongside his brother Nahman, founded Mango in 1984 and opened the brand’s first retail storefront on Barcelona’s prestigious Paseo de Gracia.
Since its launch, Mango has grown into a multi-billion-dollar international fashion empire, and to distinguish itself from traditional fast fashion brands, the company frequently releases premium collections and collaborates with high-end designers, including Victoria Beckham, to cultivate a more refined image.
The business fortune made Isak the wealthiest individual in Catalonia, Spain, and he consistently ranked among the country’s 10 richest people.
Image credits: Lorena Sopena/Anadolu/Getty Images
On December 26, 2024, the 71-year-old billionaire, whose net worth was estimated at $4.5 billion (€4.1 billion) at the time, reportedly fell more than 100 meters (328 feet) to his demise while hiking near the Salnitre caves in the Montserrat mountains outside Barcelona.
The incident occurred in an area known for steep drops, deep caves, and rugged terrain. Isak was accompanied only by his eldest son, Jonathan, who became the primary witness to the fall.
Because of the ravine’s difficult access, authorities launched a major recovery operation involving a helicopter, an ambulance, and a specialized mountain rescue unit to retrieve his body.
Jonathan was the sole witness to his father’s accidental fall near the Salnitre caves in the Montserrat mountains in December 2024
Image credits: CNBC
While speaking with emergency responders and investigators at the scene, Jonathan allegedly told authorities that his father had accidentally slipped and lost his footing on the trail while walking behind him.
The case was initially closed as a tragic hiking accident in January 2025. However, it was officially reopened in March of that year, reportedly due to glaring inconsistencies in Jonathan’s testimony.
In October 2025, the Catalan regional police, known as the Mossos d'Esquadra, along with prosecutors, officially confirmed that the case had shifted from an accident inquiry to a formal homicide investigation.
Image credits: David Oller/Europa Press/Getty Images
At the time, authorities did not publicly disclose the exact reason behind the dramatic shift in the investigation.
However, El País reported that investigators had “come across a series of clues which, when taken together, had led them to move away from the idea of a mere accident and toward the possibility of a homicide.”
After months of gathering evidence under the reopened investigation, authorities formally arrested the 43-year-old heir, who currently works at Mango’s global headquarters as vice chairman of the company’s board of directors and president of its holding company, MNG.
One skeptical user reacted to the details of the case by questioning, “Way way too convenient, and it was just them two?”
According to reports, Jonathan allegedly described a sequence of events that did not align with the forensic findings uncovered during the police investigation.
Investigators also reportedly classified the hiking trail where the incident occurred as “not particularly dangerous,” making the billionaire’s fatal fall appear highly unusual.
Jonathan initially told authorities that he had not taken any photographs of the area on the day of the tragedy.
However, after a judge authorized investigators to seize and analyze his phone records, police allegedly discovered images from the scene on his device.
Image credits: El Mundo
Authorities also reportedly uncovered testimonies from acquaintances who described the father-son relationship at the time as highly volatile due to ongoing financial disagreements.
In 2015, Isak reportedly placed Jonathan in charge of Mango alongside a team of executives. However, under the leadership structure, the company allegedly began losing millions of euros.
According to reports, Isak later removed his son from the primary leadership role and returned to the company to personally oversee its financial recovery.
Previously closed as a tragic hiking accident, it has now evolved into a formal homicide investigation after authorities reopened the case last year
Image credits: El Mundo
In the years leading up to his passing, Isak reportedly accelerated plans to separate his family from the day-to-day operations of Mango by handing primary executive control to non-family professional Toni Ruiz, who was appointed CEO.
However, El País reported that anonymous sources claimed the father and son were actually on good terms in December 2024 and frequently spent time together.
Addressing the arrest, a spokesperson for the Andic family said in a public statement that the family’s “cooperation has been, and will remain, total,” while adding that they remain confident in Jonathan’s innocence.
Image credits: Franck Prevel/WireImage
Following the arrest, Jonathan was immediately transferred to court facilities in Martorell, located outside Barcelona, where he is expected to provide a formal statement and undergo questioning as an official suspect.
According to reports, he is appearing before the investigating judge of Investigating Court Number 5 of Martorell, the court overseeing the closed-door probe.
Following the questioning, the judge is expected to review the police evidence and determine Jonathan’s immediate legal status, including whether to order pretrial detention, grant bail, or proceed with the case toward a criminal trial.
“Don't go hiking geezzz… So horrible, his own son… This is pure Evil.....horrifying,” one netizen wrote online
