Prosecutors to appeal bail for Espaillat siblings over Jet Set tragedy

Santo Domingo.- Deputy Attorney General Wilson Camacho announced that the Public Ministry will appeal the coercive measures imposed on Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, owners of the Jet Set Club, who are accused of involuntary manslaughter and injuries resulting from the fatal roof collapse on April 8 that left 236 dead and over 180 injured. Camacho criticized the decision by Judge Fátima Veloz—who ordered bail, periodic reporting, and a travel ban—as “a mockery of the victims,” arguing it failed to reflect the gravity of the tragedy.

Speaking to the press outside the Ciudad Nueva Palace of Justice, Camacho emphasized that while the case was declared complex and the court acknowledged the legal classification of the charges, the imposed measures did not match the scale of harm, including the death of 236 individuals and over 130 children left orphaned. He accused the Espaillat siblings of prioritizing profit over safety by ignoring structural warnings and overloading the nightclub roof with industrial air conditioning units and water tanks—without proper engineering assessments.

The 14-hour hearing was led by Camacho and a team of prosecutors who submitted over 130 pieces of evidence to support calls for stricter pretrial detention. The prosecution contends the Espaillats were aware of the roof’s structural issues through employee reports, photos, and videos but opted for cost-cutting repairs rather than safety. The Public Ministry remains firm in seeking accountability under Articles 319 and 320 of the Dominican Penal Code, which address reckless homicide and negligent injury.