In 2021, a German court declared him legally dead.
A German-American billionaire thought to be dead after disappearing during a ski trip is suspected of living with a Russian lover in Moscow, an investigation has claimed. According to a Subway report, German-American retail mogul Karl-Erivan Haub, then 58, was training for a ski mountaineering race when he disappeared in April 2018 in Zermatt, Switzerland.
Authorities launched a six-day search that saw five helicopters and alpine rescue teams search the area, but his body was never found. In 2021, a German court declared him legally dead. He left behind his wife, two children and his company, the retail giant Tengelmann Group, which had more than 75,000 employees. His brother Christian took control of the Tengelmann Group after his brother’s disappearance.
However, a major investigation led by German broadcaster RTL claims to have identified Mr Haub in Moscow and believes the tycoon lives there with a much younger lover called Veronika Ermilova.
RTL claims that Haub called Ermilova 13 times in the three days leading up to her disappearance. The calls were long, one of them lasting more than an hour, which led to suspicions that the billionaire faked her death. There were also rumors that the billionaire had a Russian passport in addition to his American and German citizenship.
Notably, Ermilova, 44, ran a “discreet” events agency in St. Petersburg, organizing skiing, hiking and climbing tours for outdoor enthusiasts. However, she is also suspected of being involved with the Russian security service FSB.
“What can be proven, however, is that she is always in the same places and at the same time as Karl-Erivan Haub,” the report stated.
In July 2008, they were both in Moscow and Sochi within a few days.
“In May 2009, they both traveled on the same overnight train from Moscow to St. Petersburg, in separate compartments. The trips were booked at the same time and by the same person. Other overlaps of short journeys by Haub and [Ermilova] can be found for stays in Omsk (2010), Sochi (2011), Baku (2014) and Moscow (2015, 2017),” the report noted.
The report added: “It is unclear why these alleged meetings took place. It doesn’t feel like a vacation of love.”
RTL journalist Liv von Boetticher speculated that Haub’s disappearance in Switzerland and alleged appearances in Russia may have been the result of shady dealings.
The exact method he used to conduct his alleged escape is not known.
This story originally appeared on Ndtv.com read the full story
