The son of Mango‘s founder Isak Andic has been arrested by police in Spain for his alleged involvement in his father’s death.
Andic, 71, was non-executive chairman of the fast-fashion company when he died in December 2024, after falling several hundred feet from a cliff in the Montserrat caves near Barcelona, in Catalunya, Spain. The fatality happened during a hiking excursion with his family.
The initial investigation into the billionaire’s death by Spanish authorities was closed in January 2025, and deemed an accident with no signs of any criminal wrongdoing. However, months later, the investigation was reopened, due reportedly to inconsistencies in his son Jonathan Andic’s story. His cell phone was reportedly seized as part of that investigation.
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In December of 2025, after the investigation had been reopened as a possible homicide, the Andic family said they were confident that the process would be concluded as soon as possible and Jonathan’s innocence would be confirmed.
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A spokesperson for the Mossos d’Esquadra said Tuesday that Jonathan Andic had been arrested in relation to the death of his father. “Now the judge has to decide whether he is guilty or not,” the spokesperson said.
Representatives at Mango did not respond immediately to media requests Tuesday.
Jonathan Andic, the eldest of the Mango founder’s three children, served as vice chairman of the retailer’s board, after first joining the company in 2005 with a focus on the creative process, collection design and team management. Two years later, he launched Mango Men and made that a global endeavor.
At the time of his death, Isak Andic, a self-made billionaire, was hailed for his contributions to Spain.
The country’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez praised Andic’s “great work and business vision, which transformed his Spanish brand into a global point of reference in fashion.” The fast-fashion retailer has more than 15,500 employees, operates some 2,800 stores in more than 120 markets worldwide and has major online activity. Mango’s revenues in 2024 amounted to 3.34 billion euros, a 7.6 percent increase compared to 2023.
Achim Berg, founder and director of Fashion Sights, who had been brought into Mango as an external adviser to the CEO in 2024, deferred comment.
Isak Andic’s partner at the time of his death, Estefanía Knuth Marten, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Speculating on whether the news will impact Mango’s business, Susan Scafidi, founder of the Fordham University’s Fashion Law Institute, said Tuesday, “The arrest may not affect Mango’s day-to-day operations or require a public statement at present, but given the headlines, it may be wise for the company to issue guidance to employees on a neutral, non-defamatory way to address any inquiries from customers or the media.”
She added, “Hopefully the founder’s death was a tragic accident and not a homicide, but even in the worst-case scenario, fashion brands have weathered tabloid dramas in the past — think Gucci or Versace.”
Sacred Heart University associate professor of fashion marketing and merchandising David Loranger said the Andic family seems to be driving the response to the situation and might be using public relations consultants to do so.
Loranger said, “I’m not a lawyer, but it appears that [Jonathan] Andic is innocent until proven guilty under Spanish law, according to EU Article 48.”
Noting that Isak Andic’s likeness was not used in Mango’s branding, Loranger said, “I don’t think that the brand will actually be impacted, unless there is some sort of disclosure of damning evidence and/or a conviction.”
He added, “However, I’m sure that Mango’s marketing and PR teams are gaming this situation out and will have contingency plans and communications ready to go for any twists and turns. In short, I don’t see Mango’s demographic beyond the Spanish borders following this story very closely, unless there eventually is a Netflix series on it.”
In 1984, Andic started Mango, which now sells womenswear, menswear, kidswear and a home collection. The first location was on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona, Mango’s home city. In 1992, the company expanded outside of Spain with two outposts in Portugal. Media-shy and reserved, Andic’s net worth was said to be $4.5 billion, according to Forbes. After his passing, Mango’s chief executive officer Roni Ruiz took on the role of chairman of the board.