A German-US billionaire, previously thought to have died after disappearing during a skiing trip, is suspected of living in Moscow with a Russian mistress, according to an investigation. Karl-Erivan Haub, a German-American retail magnate, vanished in April 2018 while preparing for a ski mountaineering race in Zermatt, Switzerland, at the age of 58. Despite a six-day search involving five helicopters and teams of alpine rescuers, his body was never found. In 2021, a German court declared him legally deceased. He left behind his wife, two children, and his company, the retail giant Tengelmann Group, which employed over 75,000 people.
Following his disappearance, his brother Christian controlled the Tengelmann Group. However, a comprehensive investigation led by German broadcaster RTL claims to have located Mr Haub in Moscow and believes he resides there with a much younger mistress named Veronika Ermilova.
Karl-Erivan Haub was also rumored to have had a Russian passport in addition to his US and German citizenship
According to RTL, Haub made 13 calls to Ermilova in the three days before he disappeared. These calls were lengthy, with one lasting over an hour, leading to suspicion that the billionaire may have staged his death.
The billionaire was also rumored to have had a Russian passport in addition to his US and German citizenship. Ermilova, 44, was known for running an “inconspicuous” event agency in St. Petersburg, where she organized skiing, hiking, and climbing trips for outdoor enthusiasts.
However, she is also suspected of having ties to Russia’s FSB security service. The report stated, ”What can be proven, however, is that she is always in the same places at the same time as Karl-Erivan Haub,” For example, in July 2008, both individuals were in Moscow and Sochi within a few days of each other.
“In May 2009, both traveled on the same night train from Moscow to St Petersburg, in separate compartments. The trips were booked at the same time and by the same person. Further overlaps of short trips by Haub and [Ermilova] can be found for stays in Omsk (2010), Sochi (2011), Baku (2014), and Moscow (2015, 2017),” the report noted.Â
The report added: “It is not clear why these alleged meetings took place. It doesn’t sound like a love vacation.”
RTL journalist Liv von Boetticher suggested that Haub’s disappearance in Switzerland and purported appearances in Russia could have been the result of shady business dealings.
The particular technique by which he allegedly escaped is unknown.
