Son of conglomerate magnate arrested as suspect in his father's murder
The global fashion industry was rocked by shocking news after Jonathan Andic, the Deputy Chairman of Mango’s board, was officially arrested by police on Tuesday. The arrest of the son of the late founder of the renowned Spanish fashion brand followed allegations of his involvement in the mysterious death of his father that occurred in late 2024.
Citing CNN International, on Wednesday (20 May 2026), the detention of one of the executives of the multinational clothing retailer has been officially confirmed by Mossos d’Esquadra, the police force for Catalonia, Spain.
The case of Isak Andic’s death, who founded Mango in the mid-1980s, has entered a new phase after authorities detected elements of criminal wrongdoing in the incident. The founder was reportedly found dead at age 71 after falling into a ravine about 320 feet (roughly 97 metres) deep in December 2024.
The judicial authorities in Barcelona emphasise that the legal process is now under way and focuses on establishing the alleged crime against a person’s life. The statement was issued in writing by the local court in response to the arrest of the young fashion magnate amid ongoing proceedings.
“The case is being investigated as murder,” said a spokesperson for the Barcelona High Court of Justice in an official statement on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the wider Andic family reacted swiftly to the arrest by issuing a statement through Reuters. Through their representative, the family expressed full confidence that the heinous charges levelled at a family member are entirely unfounded and mistaken.
“The family is confident of Jonathan Andic’s innocence and that he is fully cooperating with authorities,” said the Andic family spokesperson to Reuters.
While CNN International has not independently confirmed the validity of the family’s defence and continues to seek comment from Mango management, legal proceedings against Jonathan continue in court. He is reported to have attended a trial in the town of Martorell, in the outskirts of Barcelona, where the judge immediately set a very high financial condition for his temporary detention.
“The judge set bail at €1 million (about Rp 20.532 trillion), which has been paid,” the Barcelona High Court spokesperson added.
The spokesperson also noted that the judge ordered Andic to surrender his passport to security authorities. In addition to travel restrictions, the court also requires the son of the late billionaire to report to court every week during the course of the murder investigation.
For context, the late Isak was a Turkish-born entrepreneur who founded Mango in 1984 and transformed it into a global business giant and a leading figure in the Spanish fashion industry, closely rivaling Inditex’s Zara. Under his leadership, the clothing retailer posted double-digit growth last year, recording total sales of €3.8 billion (roughly US$4.4 billion, Rp77.88 trillion).
According to Forbes’ comprehensive data, Isak had a very substantial net worth of US$4.5 billion at the time of his death (Rp79.65 trillion). The criminal case surrounding his son and heir is predicted to have a significant impact on the reputation and governance of the company’s listings in the global market.