Jet Set Nightclub Owner Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter After Deadly Roof Collapse In Dominican Republic

The owner of the Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter following the devastating roof collapse on April 8th that killed 235 people and injured nearly 200 others. On June 12th, authorities took Antonio Espaillat into custody after a club employee came forward with evidence showing that he had warned the owners to cancel the event due to serious concerns about the roof’s condition, according to The New York Times.

The tragedy struck during a performance by popular merengue artist Rubby Pérez at the iconic venue, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary that night. The roof gave way roughly an hour after the midnight show began. Among the victims were Pérez’s saxophonist, former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of baseball star Nelson Cruz.

Espaillat, described by The Times as a wealthy entrepreneur whose family owns a chain of radio stations, faces charges along with his sister, who co-managed Jet Set Nightclub. Prosecutors say the siblings acted with “immense irresponsibility and negligence” by failing to ensure the roof was properly and professionally repaired.

Authorities also accused the Espaillats of attempting to influence or intimidate potential witnesses, though specific details of those claims have not been disclosed. The nightclub, jointly owned by Espaillat and his mother, had a long history of roof issues and ongoing repairs.

In a television interview two weeks after the collapse, Espaillat admitted the ceiling often had problems due to leaks from air conditioning units on the roof. He claimed workers replaced ceiling panels the day of the show, but said he was unaware of the full extent of the danger. However, an employee reportedly handed over their phone to investigators, revealing messages in which they warned Espaillat about the unsafe conditions and urged him to cancel the event—warnings that were ultimately ignored.

Numerous lawsuits have already been filed in response to the disaster. A formal engineering analysis of the collapse was completed last week, but the findings have yet to be released publicly.