Topline
Jonathan Andic, the son of fast fashion billionaire Isak Andic, was named a suspect in his murder, according to statements from a judge in Spain, who cited the billionaire son’s “obsession” with money as a possible “economic motive” for his father’s death, which was initially investigated as an accident when he fell while hiking in 2024.
Jonathan Andic, leaves a court in Catalonia after paying bail.
Europa Press via Getty Images
Key Facts
Jonathan Andic was arrested and detained on Tuesday before appearing before a judge in Catalonia, who eventually opened a homicide case against him—however, he has not yet been formally charged, the Financial Times reported.
The court hearing did reveal details about the evidence compiled against the Mango heir—including WhatsApp messages between father and son, “contradictions” in Jonathan Andic’s statements after his father’s death and an analysis of Isak Andic’s fatal fall while hiking, according to a report in Spanish newspaper El Pais.
Jonathan Andic was released later on Tuesday after posting his €1 million ($1.16 million) bail.
The Andic family has stood behind Jonathan Andic, telling Reuters on Tuesday there was “no legitimate evidence against him” against the Mango heir.
Key Background
Isak Andic fell to his death in December 2024, while hiking Catalonia’s Montserrat mountain range with his son. The death was initially probed as an accident, but investigators increasingly began viewing the fashion magnate’s son as a potential suspect as the investigation played out over the last year. On Tuesday, a judge reviewed evidence that Jonathan Andic gave conflicting testimonies about what happened the day his father fell almost 500 feet to his death. At first, Jonathan Andic said he did not see his father fall because he was walking ahead while his father was taking photos with his phone. However, forensic analysis determined Isak Andic’s phone was in his pocket when he eventually fell. Jonathan Andi also told investigators he only hiked this route one other time before—but GPS data placed him on the same mountain three times in the week leading up to Isak Andic’s death. Investigators also pointed to a “scuff mark” on the ground near where Isak Andic fell, which forensic analysis determined was made “deliberately, by exerting pressure against the ground,” according to the report in El Pais.
What Evidence Do Investigators Have?
At the hearing on Tuesday, investigators pointed to WhatsApp messages that contradicted Jonathan Andic’s insistence that he had a friendly relationship with his father. According to analysis of the messages, the father and son had a strained relationship due to Jonathan Andic’s “obsession with money, to the point of asking his father for an inheritance in advance during his lifetime,” according to the Financial Times and other reports citing the court. Isak Andi then felt “compelled to accept in order to continue having a relationship with his son.”
Forbes Valuation
We estimated Isak Andic’s net worth at $4 billion before his death in December 2024, which was primarily made after founding Mango in 1984. Jonathan Andic remains a co-owner of the holding company with a majority stake in Mango, along with his two sisters. He is also vice-chairman of Mango’s board.