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Mango tycoon’s son in court in connection with probe into father’s death

By Thomson Reuters May 19, 2026 | 3:44 AM

By Joan Faus and Corina Pons

BARCELONA, May 19 (Reuters) – The son of Isak Andic, founder of fashion group Mango, was set to testify in a Spanish court on Tuesday in connection with an ​investigation into his father’s death in late 2024, police said.

Jonathan Andic ‌arrived at a court near Barcelona in handcuffs following questioning at a police station. He wore a dark jacket and polo shirt and walked with his head bowed.

Isak Andic died after falling more than 100 metres (328 ft) from a cliff while hiking with family ‌members, ​including his son, near Barcelona in December 2024. ⁠His death was initially treated ⁠as an accident, but police in Catalonia later said it was being investigated as a possible homicide.

A family spokesperson confirmed Jonathan Andic was being questioned by investigators, but declined to provide details. The probe remains under ​seal, a police spokesperson said.

The family spokesperson repeated that Jonathan Andic’s family was confident of his innocence. The court handling the case said last ⁠year that the investigation was not directed ⁠at any specific individual.

“The cooperation has been and will remain ​total,” the family spokesperson said of Jonathan Andic, who police said was detained ​on Tuesday and remained in custody.

A lawyer for Jonathan Andic was ‌not immediately available for comment.

Isak Andic, who was born in Istanbul, moved to Catalonia in the northeast of Spain in the 1960s and founded Mango in 1984. He built it into a global group seen as a rival ⁠to Zara.

At the time of his death, he was non-executive chairman of Mango with a net worth of $4.5 billion according to Forbes.

The unlisted Barcelona-based company reported sales ⁠of 3.8 billion euros ($4.4 ‌billion) in 2025.

Jonathan Andic and his two sisters jointly ⁠own 95% of Mango, with 5% owned by Toni ​Ruiz, its ‌CEO and president since 2023.

Ruiz became chairman of the ​board, replacing ⁠Isak Andic in January 2025 after his death. Jonathan Andic, who previously worked in Mango’s retail operations, was named vice chairman.

Mango declined to comment on the development.

($1 = 0.8608 euros)

(Reporting by Corina Pons and Joan Faus; Additional reporting by Helen Reid and Albert Gea; Writing by Emma Pinedo; Editing by Andrei Khalip, Charlie ​Devereux and Alexander Smith)