Mango founder’s son quits company one week after arrest over father’s death

Jonathan Andic said in a letter to employees that the murder accusations against him are 'serious, unjust and unfounded'

Published May 26, 2026  •  2 minute read

Catalan regional police officers (Mossos d'Esquadra) escort Jonathan Andic, the son of Isak Andic, founder of Spanish fashion brand Mango, as he arrives at a court in Martorell, near Barcelona, following his arrest on May 19, 2026. Jonathan Andic, son of the founder of the Mango clothing brand, who has been arrested in Spain as part of an investigation into his father's 2024 death while hiking together, has denied the accusation of murder. Photo by Lluis GENE /AFP via Getty Images

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The son of the late founder of Mango, Isak Andic, said he would be stepping down from his role as vice president of the Spanish fashion brand after he was arrested last week in connection with his father’s fatal plunge off a cliff.

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In a letter to employees published on Tuesday, Jonathan Andic, 45, proclaimed his innocence, calling the murder accusation against him “serious, unjust and unfounded,” and said he was temporarily leaving the company to focus on his legal defence, AFP reported.

“A public narrative has been constructed that is one-sided, taken out ​of context and distorted, and which has ​created a perception of guilt that bears no relation to reality. I know that dismantling it will require time, effort and ​intense dedication,” the fashion heir said in the letter.

Billionaire Isak Andic, 71, died in December 2024 after plunging about 330 feet down a cliff while hiking with his son Jonathan in the Montserrat mountains near Barcelona.

An image of the late Mango founder Isak Andic who died unexpectedly last year is projected as Mango Chairman and CEO Toni Ruiz, (centre) stands next to Chief Financial Officer Margarita Salvans (left), and Chief Expansion and Franchise Officer Daniel Lopez stand during a press conference to present their 2024 financial results in Palau-solita i Plegamans, north of Barcelona, on March 10, 2025. Photo by Manaure QUINTERO /AFP via Getty Images

Catalan investigators initially deemed the death an accident, but reopened the case in March 2025, claiming there were inconsistencies in Jonathan’s statements and other evidence.

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A Spanish judge’s writ said there was “sufficient evidence to suggest that the death of (Isak Andic) may not have been accidental, and that (Jonathan Andic) played an active and premeditated role in his father’s death,” Reuters reported.

Alleged rift between father and son

Judge Raquel Nieto wrote that evidence presented by investigators included the “bad relationship” between the father and son that was driven by Jonathan’s “obsession with money to the extent that he asked his father (Isak Andic) for an inheritance while he was still alive.”

In his letter to staff, Jonathan addressed reports of tensions with his dad.

“We ⁠shared many happy, cherished and loving moments together. As is the case in so many families, we have also faced difficult and challenging times, which we have overcome through great effort, generosity and support,” he wrote, per Reuters.

Jonathan has not been formally charged and was released last week on one million euros ($1.6 million) bail.

As the eldest child of the Mango founder, he co-owns the fashion chain with his sisters, Sarah and Judith Andic Raig.

A spokesperson said Mango’s board of directors had joined the Andic family in expressing their support for Jonathan, Bloomberg News reported.

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