Owner of Dominican club whose roof collapsed and killed 236 is arrested
along with his sister
[June 13, 2025]
By MARTÍN ADAMES ALCÁNTARA
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The owner of an iconic
nightclub in the Dominican Republic whose roof collapsed in April and
killed 236 people was arrested Thursday along with his sister.
Antonio Espaillat and Maribel Espaillat have not been charged in the
case, although authorities have 48 hours to present any charges before a
judge.
“Both defendants displayed immense irresponsibility and negligence by
failing to physically intervene to prevent the club’s roof from
collapsing, as it ultimately did, causing 236 deaths and more than 180
injuries,” the Dominican Republic’s Attorney General’s Office said in a
statement.
Prosecutors accused the Espaillats of trying to intimidate or manipulate
company employees, adding that they could serve as witnesses in the
case. Antonio Espaillat is considered a powerful businessman in the
Dominican Republic; he owns upscale entertainment centers and dozens of
local radio stations.
Miguel Valerio, the Espaillats' attorney, told reporters that he expects
to have access to the prosecutors' evidence in upcoming days.
“This is an involuntary homicide,” he said. “Nobody wanted that to
happen.”
The Espaillats were arrested after being interrogated for several hours.
Altanto TV, a local digital news channel, posted an interview with a man
they identified as former Jet Set employee Gregory Adamés. The channel
said he gave prosecutors videos and conversations with Antonio Espaillat
in which he warned that the April 7 party shouldn’t be held because the
roof could collapse.
Adamés said in a video posted on Instagram that he would hold the
Espaillat family responsible if he disappears or is shot or involved in
an accident.
“If something happens to me, it’s clear where it came from,” he said.
“My intention is not to hurt anyone, only that the truth be known."
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Rescue workers search for bodies at the Jet Set nightclub after its
roof collapsed during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican
Republic, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)
A government-appointed committee that includes international experts
is still investigating what caused the roof to collapse.
Crews worked for 53 hours nonstop after arriving on the scene in
Santo Domingo shortly after midnight on April 8, rescuing 189
survivors.
The victims included beloved singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing
when the roof caved in, and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi
province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star
Nelson Cruz.
Also killed was former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who was pulled
from the debris but died in hospital, and Dominican baseball player
Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera.
Other victims include a retired U.N. official, New York-based
fashion designer Martín Polanco, an Army captain who left behind
four young girls, and three employees at Grupo Popular, a financial
services company, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and
his wife.
The relatives of several survivors have filed lawsuits against
Antonio Espaillat.
The club, which had operated for nearly five decades, was known for
its Monday night merengue parties that attracted international
celebrities and high-profile Dominicans.
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