Prosecutors file charges in Jet Set collapse case

Santo Domingo.- The Public Prosecutor’s Office formally presented charges against siblings Antonio Espaillat López and Maribel Espaillat Veras over the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub, a tragedy that left 236 dead and more than 80 injured on April 8, 2025.

During the hearing, prosecutors Emmanuel Ramírez, Miguel Collado, and Rosa Ysabel submitted a 156-page summary of the indictment. Judge Raymundo Mejía postponed the proceedings until April 20, 2026, to allow plaintiffs time to file civil claims. As of April 6, the case includes 141 plaintiffs.

According to the case file, the defendants allegedly worsened structural risks by overloading the building’s roof with heavy air conditioning units and water tanks without proper technical studies. Authorities also argue that they ignored internal warnings about the roof’s deterioration, prioritizing cost savings despite clear dangers.

Expert reports presented by the prosecution attribute the collapse to structural failures identified through engineering analyses, which are considered key evidence in determining responsibility as the judicial process moves forward.