Accidental fall or murder? Catalan police confirmed Friday that they are continuing their investigation into the death of Mango's founder nearly a year ago, initially considered accidental but now focusing on the hypothesis of homicide committed by his son, according to the Spanish press.

Isak Andic, 71, who had built one of the biggest fashion brands from scratch, with around 2,850 stores worldwide, fell to his death on December 14 while hiking with his eldest son Jonathan near Barcelona (northeast).

His death caused great emotion in the business world.

Catalan police have now reclassified their investigation as a possible homicide and are focusing their investigations on his son, Jonathan Andic, writes the daily El País, citing "various sources close to the investigation." He remains presumed innocent.

Catalan police confirmed to AFP that the investigation was still ongoing, without specifying the reasons.

"From a procedural point of view, no particular person has been targeted, nor is being targeted (directly) at this stage," the High Court of Justice of Catalonia assured AFP.

According to El País, Jonathan, who was the only person to have been with his father at the time of his death, was questioned twice and his statements revealed "contradictions" fueling suspicions.

According to the newspaper, another witness, Estefanía Knuth, a professional golfer and partner of the victim, described to the police the poor relationship between father and son.

- The suspected son -

Interviewed by El País, the family expressed confidence that "this process will be completed as quickly as possible and will prove Jonathan Andic's innocence."

Contacted by AFP, the Mango group had not responded by early afternoon.

Born in 1953 to a Jewish family in Istanbul, Turkey, Isak Andic emigrated to Spain with his family as a teenager, before opening his first Mango store in 1984 on Paseo de Gracia, a famous shopping street in Barcelona, with the help of his older brother Nahman.

Its brand quickly expanded across Spain and became one of the world's leading fashion groups. The company has more than 16,400 employees, according to its website.

In December 2023, Isak Andic opened Mango's capital, a first, by selling 5% to Toni Ruiz, the current chairman of the board of directors.

Buoyed by the success of his band, Isak Andic was, at the time of his death in late 2024, one of the richest people in Spain, with a fortune estimated by Forbes at $4.5 billion.

The Spanish-Turkish businessman was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Catalonia in February, the highest honor awarded by the Catalan government. He was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 2018.

His son Jonathan joined the family group in 2005, before holding several management positions, until being appointed current vice-chairman of the board of directors of Mango.

In a video released in April 2023 by the ready-to-wear giant, the latter assured: "If you are clear about where you want to go and you always move forward, you will eventually achieve your goals."