The Cologne public prosecutor's office has initiated an investigation into the initial suspicion of making false statements under oath against the head of the Tengelmann Group, Christian Haub. The investigation is related to the disappearance of the group's former boss, Karl-Erivan Haub, in the Swiss Alps. Christian Haub rejects the accusation.

Senior public prosecutor Ulrich Bremer told the German Press Agency: "Based on a criminal complaint that has been filed, the allegation is being investigated that the missing man's brother, Christian Haub, made an affirmation in lieu of oath before the Cologne district court in May 2021, some of which was false. The criminal complaint stated, among other things, that the accused - contrary to his statements - had reliable evidence that the missing person, Karl-Erivan Haub, could still be alive." The investigation was ongoing. “The presumption of innocence applicable to the accused is expressly pointed out.”

No reason to revoke the declaration of death

To clarify, the public prosecutor's office pointed out that there was currently no reason to request that the declaration of death for Karl-Erivan Haub be revoked. For this to happen, it would have to be established that the missing person survived the declaration of death. “This is currently not the case,” emphasized Bremer.

Christian Haub's lawyer Mark Binz rejected the accusation of incorrect information. “Of course there is no truth to the accusation,” he said. “Until a few weeks ago, the Cologne public prosecutor’s office saw it that way and therefore refused to start an investigation.”

Lost in the Alps in 2018

Karl-Erivan Haub, one of the richest Germans, went on a ski tour alone in Zermatt in April 2018 and did not return. The family assumes that the then 58-year-old had a fatal accident on the Klein Matterhorn. In 2021, Haub was declared dead by the Cologne district court. Since then, there have been repeated media reports about doubts about the death of the experienced skier. However, the court did not consider it to be provable.

After Karl-Erivan Haub disappeared, his younger brother Christian took over sole management of the billion-dollar trading group, which includes, among other things, the textile discounter Kik and the hardware store chain Obi.