Jet Set nightclub owners face up to 20 years in prison following collapse with 236 deaths
A Dominican court has reclassified charges against the owners of Jet Set from involuntary manslaughter to homicide with eventual intent. The roof of the club collapsed on 8 April 2025 during a concert, killing 236 people.
Reclassification of Jet Set case: Espaillat brothers could face 20 years in prison
A court in Santo Domingo reclassified the charges against the owners of Jet Set nightclub on Friday, whose roof collapsed on 8 April 2025 during a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez, leaving 236 people dead, including the singer himself. According to a report by france24.com, the change significantly increases the possible sentences for the accused.
Antonio Espaillat, owner of the venue, and his sister Maribel, the establishment's administrator, had been sent to trial in June under the charge of "involuntary manslaughter", carrying sentences of between two and three years. Judge Franny González decided to reclassify the offence as "homicide with eventual intent", a category that carries up to 20 years in prison.
The prosecution argued that both brothers were aware prior to the accident of the structural deterioration of the building and the risk it posed to those inside. "This is not a simple and unforeseeable accident. It could have been prevented. There were warnings and it should not have happened," the prosecution stated in an accusation cited by the judge in his ruling.
The change in legal classification requires the trial to restart from scratch before a new court, as González explained.
The Espaillat brothers were arrested in 2025 and subsequently released on conditional bail after posting bail of approximately 842,000 dollars. Relatives and victims had publicly denounced alleged privileges granted to the family, which also controls a media conglomerate and owns a restaurant.
The Justicia Jet Set movement, which groups together those affected and relatives of victims, had formally requested the reclassification of the charge. The measure was received with relief by those who survived the collapse.
"Thank God the classification changed. It means a great deal to those affected and to families after that terrible day," 40-year-old Jeniré Mena said to AFP. A Venezuelan national and collapse survivor, Mena remained trapped in the rubble for five hours and still suffers from physical aftereffects. "There is a possibility that those responsible will also face those consequences," she added.
Source: Google News DO — Santo Domingo