Jet Set owners to face trial for involuntary manslaughter following collapse that killed 236
A Dominican judge determined that Antonio and Maribel Espaillat will face charges of involuntary manslaughter, carrying a maximum sentence of 2 years, for the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub.
Trial for involuntary manslaughter for Jet Set owners following collapse that killed 236 people
Magistrate Reymundo Mejía Zorrilla, of the First Court of Instruction of the National District in Santo Domingo, determined on Monday that Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, owners of the Jet Set nightclub, will be prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter. According to Google News DO — Crime, the ruling sparked a wave of frustration among the families of the 236 victims who lost their lives when the roof of the venue collapsed on 8 April 2025.
If found guilty, the Espaillat siblings could receive a sentence of up to two years in prison. The families of the victims had expected charges of homicide, which carry sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
The ruling stated that the case did not warrant a homicide charge because that would require that the accused knew their negligence would cause the victims' deaths. Had they been able to foresee the collapse, "logic and reason" suggest they would not have put their own lives at risk, the ruling indicated.
Around 30 family members gathered at the courthouse before the hearing, holding hands and praying. The collapse also left more than 100 injured and shook the entire Dominican Republic; authorities worked for days to rescue people trapped under the debris.
Antonio Espaillat is described as a powerful businessman, owner of high-end entertainment venues and dozens of local radio stations. Prosecutors had previously accused him, along with his sister, of attempting to intimidate or manipulate employees. The Public Ministry has argued that it has hundreds of pieces of evidence linking both siblings to the structural collapse.
Among the hundreds of people present at the Jet Set that night — including athletes and politicians — were singer Rubby Pérez, who died in the collapse, and former Major League pitcher Octavio Dotel, who was rescued alive from the debris but died subsequently in a hospital.
The Espaillats will be tried jointly. No date has been set for the start of the trial so far.
Source: Google News DO — Crime