An investigation claims that Karl-Erivan Haub, a German-US billionaire who was presumed dead after disappearing during a skiing trip, is now suspected to be living in Moscow with a Russian mistress. The incident occurred in April 2018 when Haub, then 58, vanished while training for a ski mountaineering race in Zermatt, Switzerland.
After a six-day search involving five helicopters and alpine rescue teams, authorities were unable to locate Karl-Erivan Haub’s body. In 2021, a German court officially declared him legally deceased. Haub’s legacy includes his wife, two children, and the retail giant Tengelmann Group, which employed over 75,000 people. Following his disappearance, his brother Christian took over leadership of the Tengelmann Group.
The recent investigation conducted by German broadcaster RTL has reportedly identified Mr. Haub in Moscow, where he is believed to be living with a much younger mistress named Veronika Ermilova.
According to RTL’s investigation, Mr. Haub made 13 phone calls to Ms. Veronika Ermilova in the three days prior to his disappearance. These lengthy conversations, including one lasting over an hour, have raised suspicions that the billionaire may have staged his own death.
Additionally, rumors suggest that he held a Russian passport alongside his US and German citizenships.
”What can be proven, however, is that she is always in the same places at the same time as Karl-Erivan Haub,” said the report.
Veronika Ermilova, aged 44, operated an “inconspicuous” event agency in St. Petersburg, specializing in organizing skiing, hiking, and climbing excursions for outdoor enthusiasts. However, there are suspicions that she may also have ties to Russia’s FSB security service.
In July 2008, both Karl-Erivan Haub and Veronika Ermilova were in Moscow and Sochi within a few days.
In May 2009, they both took the same overnight train from Moscow to St. Petersburg, but they had separate compartments. The trips were arranged simultaneously by the same person. Additionally, there were other instances of Haub and [Ermilova] having short stays in the same locations, such as Omsk (2010), Sochi (2011), Baku (2014), and Moscow (2015, 2017).
The report added: “It is not clear why these alleged meetings took place. It doesn’t sound like a love vacation.”
According to RTL journalist Liv von Boetticher, Mr. Haub’s disappearance in Switzerland and his purported sightings in Russia could be linked to questionable business activities. However, the precise means he employed for his alleged escape remain undisclosed.
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