German supermarket billionaire who disappeared hiking on the Matterhorn and was ... trends now
A German billionaire who vanished under mysterious circumstances under Switzerland's iconic Matterhorn peak six years ago is suspected to be living with a mistress in Russia, an investigation has claimed.
German-American retail tycoon Karl-Erivan Haub, then 58, was training for a ski mountaineering race when he disappeared in April 2018 in Zermatt, Switzerland.
The billionaire businessman was seen heading up the mountain in a lift one morning alone - something his trainer said was strange for a man who was typically very safety conscious and well-prepared - and never returned to his hotel.
Authorities launched a six-day search which saw five helicopters and teams of alpine rescuers canvas the area, but his body was never found.
Haub - the former managing director and part owner of German supermarket and retail giant Tengelmann Group - was declared dead by a Cologne court three years later, leaving behind a wife, two children and a company of some 75,000 employees.
His younger brother Christian swore in a courtroom in 2021 there was no indication the Alpinist, whose net worth was estimated at £5.2 billion, remained alive.
But now a major investigation led by German broadcaster RTL claims to have identified Haub in Moscow - and believes the tycoon is there with a much younger mistress.
Christian meanwhile is now subject to an investigation by the Cologne prosecutor's office on suspicion of making false statements under oath, RTL reported.
Christian assumed control of the Tengelmann Group after his brother's disappearance, and claimed to have commissioned a security service to investigate the 'rumours' he was still alive.
His lawyer, Mark Binz, told German newspaper Die Zeit: 'Of course there is nothing to the accusation.'
German-American tycoon Karl-Erivan Haub, then 58, was training for a ski mountaineering race when he disappeared in April 2018
Haub is alleged to have dialled the phone of mysterious Russian woman Veronika Ermilova - suspected of being a Russian agent - 13 times in the three days before he vanished
Haub called Ermilova 13 times before his disappearance, leading to suspicions he was plotting to fake his death with help from Moscow
Ermilova ran an 'inconspicuous' event agency in St Petersburg with hobbies like hiking, climbing and ski touring
German-American tycoon Karl-Erivan Haub was training for a ski mountaineering race when he disappeared in April 2018 in Zermatt, Switzerland
Retail mogul Haub is alleged to have dialled the phone of a woman named Veronika Ermilova 13 times in the three days before he vanished in 2018, according to the probe by RTL and media outlet Stern.
The calls were substantial - one lasting more than an hour - leading to suspicions he was plotting to fake his death with help from Moscow and Ermilova.
The investigation found that Ermilova ran an 'inconspicuous' event agency in St. Petersburg, which organised skiing, hiking and climbing excursions for outdoor enthusiasts - but she is also suspected of being involved with Russia's FSB security service.
An investigation by Tengelmann later revealed that Haub's life was
