Sawt Falasteen - Spanish police keep Mango founder death probe open

Andic, 71, died in December 2024 after plunging more than 100 metres (300 feet) while hiking with his eldest son Jonathan in the Montserrat mountains near Barcelona.

Police initially ruled the death accidental, but they are now investigating Jonathan for a possible homicide, El Pais daily reported late Thursday, citing "different sources with knowledge of the investigation".

Jonathan, who was the only person with his father at the time of the incident, has provided "inconsistent" testimony in two declarations that has "fuelled suspicion", it said.

Contacted by AFP, Catalan regional police sources confirmed that an investigation is ongoing without giving further details because the case remains under judicial secrecy.

Barcelona-based daily La Vanguardia, also citing sources with knowledge of the investigation, said the investigating judge formally changed Jonathan's status from witness to suspect in late September and that police were combing through the contents of his mobile phone.

The newspapers said police also cited the testimony of Isak Andic's partner, professional golfer Estefania Knuth, who described strained relations between father and son.

The trail Isak Andic and his son were walking along links the Salnitre caves in Collbato with the Montserrat monastery is a simple route that is popular with families on weekends.

The Andic family "is confident that this process will finish as soon as possible and that Jonathan Andic's innocence will be demonstrated", according to their spokespeople cited by El Pais.

Istanbul-born Isak Andic was one of Spain's richest people, with Forbes estimating his and his family's fortune at $4.5 billion.

Andic opened his first shop in Barcelona in 1984. His Mango brand quickly mushroomed across Spain and became one of the world's leading fashion groups.

The company offers both professional and casual styles and boasts a presence in more than 120 markets with more than 16,400 employees worldwide, according to its website.

T.Khatib--SF-PST