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 mistress in Moscow, an investigation has said.according to a subway According to reports, German-American retail tycoon Karl-Erivan Haub, 58, was training for a ski mountaineering competition when he disappeared in Zermatt, Switzerland, in April 2018.

Authorities launched a six-day search, using five helicopters and mountain rescue teams to scour the area, but his body was never found. In 2021, a German court declared him legally dead. He leaves behind a wife, two children and his company, retail giant Tengelmann Group, which employs more than 75,000 people. His brother Christian took over the Tengelmann Group after his brother disappeared.

However, a major investigation led by German broadcaster RTL claims to have identified Mr Haub in Moscow and believes the tycoon was sleeping with a much younger mistress, Veronika Ermilova. Ermilova) lived there.

RTL said Mr Haub called Ms Ermilova 13 times in the three days before his disappearance. The calls were lengthy, with one lasting more than an hour, raising suspicions that the billionaire had faked his death. The billionaire is rumored to have a Russian passport in addition to his U.S. and German citizenships.

It is worth noting that Ermilova, 44, runs a “humble” activity agency in St. Petersburg, organizing skiing, hiking and mountaineering excursions for outdoor enthusiasts. However, she is also suspected of involvement in Russia’s FSB security service.

“What can be proven, however, is that she was always in the same place at the same time as Carl Erevan Haub,” the report said.

In July 2008, the two arrived in Moscow and Sochi within a few days.

“In May 2009, the two men traveled on the same night train from Moscow to St. Petersburg, traveling in different carriages. The journeys were booked at the same time and by the same person. Haub and Haub’s short-distance journeys further overlapped. [Ermilova] Accommodation can be found in Omsk (2010), Sochi (2011), Baku (2014) and Moscow (2015, 2017),” the report states.

The report added: “It is unclear why these alleged meetings took place. It does not sound like a love vacation.”

RTL journalist Liv von Boetticher speculated that Mr Haub’s disappearance in Switzerland and alleged appearance in Russia may have been due to shady business dealings.

The exact method of his escape is unclear.