Judge orders phone analysis as new testimony reveals financial rifts before Mango founder's death
The judge investigating the death of Mango founder Isak Andic has ordered copies of mobile phones of his partner and two hikers as fresh testimony exposes financial conflicts between the billionaire and his son.
Investigation background
The death of Isak Andic, the founder of fashion chain Mango, is under criminal investigation as a possible homicide, 18 months after he fell from a cliff while hiking with his son Jonathan. The 71-year-old businessman died on 14 December 2024 near Collbató, Barcelona, after plunging nearly 100 metres from the Camí de les Feixades trail on Montserrat mountain. What was initially treated as an accident is now a probe into whether Jonathan, 46, pushed his father amid a bitter financial feud.
Therapist's revelations
Julia Lüderwaldt, a therapist who treated father and son, testified on 30 June that their sessions focused on deep economic disputes. One flashpoint was the cost of Jonathan's wedding to influencer Paula Nata. Isak considered his son might "frustrate" the bride by blocking her desired ceremony. The therapist acknowledged she had pushed Isak to give Jonathan a substantial sum to allow him to launch independent businesses and gain personal autonomy, warning she would quit otherwise.
I told him I would leave the therapy if he did not agree to this request.
Partner's account of changed will
Estefanía Knuth, Isak's partner of six years, told the court on the same day that the magnate was preparing a new will that "changed everything." The plan involved creating a charitable foundation that would significantly reduce the inheritance for his three children, Jonathan, Judith and Sarah. Knuth had encouraged the father‑son hike exactly to reconcile their differences.
He was going to make a new will that changed everything.
Hikers' testimony and phone analysis
The two hikers who assisted Jonathan 20 minutes after the fall described him as being in a state of total shock. The judge now seeks to copy their mobile phones to verify their route and emergency calls. Knuth's phone will also be analysed, as Jonathan called her immediately after the incident. Meanwhile, the defence argues that data from Isak's own mobile, showing 39 seconds without "harmonic" movement followed by two steps and the fall, is compatible with an accidental trip, not a push.
- Isak Andic dies after falling from a cliff during a hike with his son Jonathan in Montserrat.
- Therapist Julia Lüderwaldt, partner Estefanía Knuth, and two hikers testify before the Martorell judge.
- Photos emerge of Jonathan Andic walking in Barcelona with his wife and child; judge orders mobile phone copies.
Jonathan's public silence and family support
Seen for the first time in weeks, Jonathan walked through Barcelona with his wife Paula and their baby, surrounded by family support. He has resigned from all Mango positions and insists the death was a tragic accident. His mother and sisters have declared their "full confidence in his innocence." The case, built entirely on circumstantial evidence, will likely be decided by a popular jury if it proceeds to trial.
