Karl-Erivan Hopp, former head of retail chain, may have faked his death to escape to Russia, RTL claims
Karl-Erivan Hopp, the former head of German retail giant Tengelmann Group, disappeared at a ski resort in the Alps six years ago. Now, German broadcaster RTL claims that the businessman, who was long declared dead, may be alive, and may have been secretly working for Russia.
Haub was last seen in April 2018 in Zermatt, Switzerland, where he was preparing for a ski race. He disappeared without a trace after taking the ski lift up the mountain alone. The search operation, which lasted six days and involved five helicopters and several specialized rescue teams, did not yield any results. The body of the 58-year-old man was not found at the time.
The businessman and father-of-two was officially declared dead by a court in Cologne three years later, in 2021, after his younger brother Christian, who took over the management of his business empire, swore under oath that he had seen no signs that his relative was still capable. Be alive.
Now, RTL journalist Leif von Boettscher claims that Karl Ervian Haube may still be alive. Evidence that the reporter claims to have collected during a three-year investigation “appears convincingly” Which an entrepreneur can own “He disappeared on purpose.” And that at least some of his family members were well aware of this. The broadcaster has also released a series of podcasts detailing von Boettischer’s investigation.
The Stern magazine reporter claimed that Christian began an internal investigation of the Tengelmann Group after his brother’s disappearance, after which he also hired several private investigation firms, including companies based in Russia. The journalist also stated that she had personally seen photos of the businessman, taken in Moscow in February 2021 by some private investigators hired by his brother.
Von Boettischer told German broadcaster N-TV that “no evidence was found” of an accident at the site of Hope’s alleged disappearance in Switzerland, adding that the track had been recorded instead. “Led to Russia.” According to the journalist, the businessman spoke extensively with a Russian woman named Veronika Ermilova, before he disappeared without a trace. Hope reportedly called her phone more than a dozen times in three days before disappearing. Von Boetticher claimed that the woman was his “mistress” He was linked to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
According to the reporter, the two also often met “In the same places at the same time” Over a number of years. In 2008, they were in Moscow and Sochi within a few days. In 2009, they traveled from Moscow to St. Petersburg on the same train. They also made simultaneous short trips to the same destinations in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2017, von Boettischer discovered.
The journalist also claimed that the German billionaire had other contacts in Russia, including banker Andrey Suzdaltsev and Russian-American businessman Sergei Grishin. The latter previously claimed that it was so “scrape” The Russian banking system in the 1990s.
Von Boettischer told Die Welt last year that Hop “He could have acted as a kind of influence agent for Russia in Germany.” Adding that she was also in the crosshairs of the Federal Security Service because of the investigation she conducted.
In 2023, RTL journalists filed a complaint with the Cologne Prosecutor’s Office, accusing Hope’s brother Christian of making false statements in court. German law enforcement officials initially refused to open an investigation, but changed their position after journalists contacted the prosecutor’s office, which ordered an investigation to begin.
Earlier this month, the Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to the German news agency DPA that proceedings had begun against Christian Hopp on charges of lying to the court. Law enforcement officials specifically stated that they had no reason to review the court’s decision, according to which Karl-Erivan Hope was declared dead.
Russian officials did not comment on the situation. Contacted by Russian media, Veronika Ermilova denounced the RTL report as a lie “Unverified fake.” She said she was “Don’t live with a billionaire” He denied any contacts with any security services.
Ermilova said she previously worked at a St. Petersburg-based events agency and was dealing with Hope. Christian Hope’s lawyer also told reporters that this exists “No the truth” In the accusations against his client, adding that they are based on “Incorrect information.”
RT was unable to independently verify von Boettischer’s claims.
