Mango founder’s son arrested over father’s fatal mountain fall

The son of the billionaire founder of fashion giant Mango has been arrested by police in Barcelona over his dad’s death in a December 2024 mountain fall.

Isak Andic’s 45-year-old son Jonathan was held this morning following a lengthy and ongoing police and court investigation.

The businessman, who has always protested his innocence and insisted his 71-year-old father died by accident despite being placed at the centre of the probe, is now on his way to a court in Martorell near Barcelona so he can be formally questioned and give a statement.

The regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force has yet to make any official comment.

Turkish immigrant Andic and his son were visiting the Collbato Caves in the heart of the Monserrat mountain near the Catalan capital when the Mango owner died on December 14 2024.

Last year police were probing Andic’s death as a possible homicide and Jonathan had been formally placed under investigation by the courts after previously being treated as a witness.

Contradictions in Andic’s son’s two statements and the “complex” relationship between the entrepreneur and Jonathan were said to have been behind the judge’s reported decision, which officials later disputed, to place him under formal investigation.

It has previously been claimed the 45-year-old told officers he had left his car in one place and it was in another, or that he hadn’t taken photos of the area when he had.

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.”

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 Andic’s net worth shortly before his death at 4.5 billion US dollars, making him Catalonia’s richest man and one of Spain’s wealthiest people.

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 aboutAndic’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.”

Jonathan is said to have been arrested on suspicion of a crime of homicide.

A spokesman for the Mossos d’Esquadra said this morning, following multiple reports in the media about the arrest: “Everything is under a secrecy order and at the moment we can’t say anything.”

The Mango founder’s son was the sole witness to his dad’s death.

Initial reports at the time of the fatal plunge of one of Spain’s richest men said Jonathan was in front of him and turned round when he heard the sound of falling stones behind him to see his father had gone over the edge of the footpath.

The judge probing the incident provisionally archived his investigation in January 2025 after finding no evidence pointing to the entrepreneur’s death being a crime.

It was reopened in March last year and the judge at Martorell Court of Instruction Number Five, who has been leading the investigation, formally questioned Jonathan’s two siblings last November.

Jonathan, Sarah and Judith Andic currently control 95 per cent of Mango in equal parts.

Last year Mango opened more than 250 new stories and invested 200 million euros earmarked for the expansion and renewal of its retail network, the development of its technological and logistical capabilities, and the completion of its Mango Campus.

Mango CEO Toni Ruiz claimed in March the Barcelona-based fashion giant was in the strongest position in its history after recording a 13 per cent increase in sales in 2025.

It closed the year with earnings of 242 million euros and sales of 3.8 billion euros.