In a scenario reminiscent of a mystery novel, Karl-Erivan Haub, a German billionaire and the former managing director of the Tengelmann Group—an international retail corporation—was officially declared dead in 2021. However, he is now suspected of fabricating his own death.
Haub, last seen in April 2018 on a ski trip in the Swiss Alps when he was 58, reportedly vanished under enigmatic circumstances. Yet, recent investigations suggest that he may be alive, residing in Moscow with a woman named Veronika Ermilova, who is alleged to have connections to Russian intelligence services.
The case resurfaced when investigative journalists from RTL, a European media group that operates television channels and radio stations across various countries, began probing into Haub’s disappearance. This eventually led to a criminal complaint against Christian Haub, Karl-Erivan’s brother, who has taken over the reins of Tengelmann Group.
According to reports, the journalists have collected substantial evidence indicating that Karl-Erivan might still be alive. This includes photos purportedly showing him in Moscow in 2021, contradicting the statements provided by his brother to the Cologne district court that there was no reliable evidence of Karl-Erivan being alive.
The investigation narrative paints a complex picture of Haub’s life and connections. Before his disappearance, Haub was reportedly in close contact with Ermilova, who has denied living with Haub in Moscow, stating their relationship was purely professional. Investigators tracked various trips where Haub and Ermilova were often at the same locations at the same times, which suggests a connection deeper than what has been publicly acknowledged.
Adding to the mystery, Liv von Boetticher, an RTL journalist, claims that Karl-Erivan’s dealings in Russia may have created complications for him in the West, potentially providing a motive for his disappearance. The speculation is that Haub might have orchestrated his own disappearance to escape these troubles, possibly skiing across the Alps to Italy, from where he could have traveled undetected to Russia.
As the investigation continues, the Cologne prosecutor’s office has yet to find sufficient evidence to declare Karl-Erivan alive and revoke his death certificate officially. Meanwhile, the case remains mysterious, with more questions than answers about the former billionaire businessman’s true whereabouts and fate.
