Karl-Erivan Haub, a German billionaire who was declared dead after disappearing six years ago, has been found alive and residing in Moscow with his Russian mistress.
Haub’s mysterious disappearance occurred in Switzerland in April 2018 while he was preparing for a ski mountaineering competition. The 58-year-old German-American retail magnate never returned to his hotel after being seen ascending a mountain alone one morning, which was considered out of character for someone known for his cautious and well-prepared nature.
Despite an extensive six-day search involving alpine rescuers and aircraft, his body was never found. A Cologne court declared him dead in 2021, leaving behind a wife, two children, and his position as managing director and partial owner of German retail and grocery giant Tengelmann Group.
A recent investigation led by German network RTL has reportedly located Haub in Moscow, living with his much younger mistress, Veronika Ermilova. The investigation found that Haub made 13 calls to Ermilova’s phone in the final three days before his disappearance in 2018.
A journalist involved in the probe suggested that Haub’s disappearance may have been a staged escape, as it occurred during a challenging time for Tengelmann, which was expanding its operations into Russia.