One of the deadliest structural failures in recent Dominican Republic history has moved a major step closer to criminal justice, after a Santo Domingo court ruled that the owners of the collapsed Jet Set nightclub will stand trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter.
The defendants, siblings Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, have been linked to the catastrophic April 8, 2025 roof collapse that claimed 236 lives and left more than 180 people injured. The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of the morning, when the venue was packed for a weekly Monday night event headlined by iconic merengue performer Rubby Pérez, who was counted among the fatalities. Official timelines place the sudden structural failure at roughly 12:44 a.m., when hundreds of attendees were inside the establishment.
First Court of Instruction of the National District Judge Raymundo Mejía issued the ruling to move the case to a full trial, upholding the involuntary manslaughter legal classification that formalizes the criminal proceedings against the pair. In addition to ordering the trial, the court approved the seizure of assets worth 500 million Dominican pesos owned by the Espaillat siblings, and maintained existing pre-trial coercive measures. These restrictions include a 50 million peso financial guarantee, mandatory regular check-ins with law enforcement authorities, and an active travel ban that bars the defendants from leaving the country.
Legal observers had widely expected the trial referral, as the Espaillats’ legal team had previously indicated they did not oppose moving the case to trial so long as all proceedings followed formal legal protocols. During the pre-trial hearing, the court heard arguments from three key groups: defense counsel for the siblings, prosecutors from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and legal representatives for victims and their surviving families, all of whom formally requested a full trial on the merits of the case. After reviewing all submitted evidence and arguments, Judge Mejía took time to deliberate before releasing his final ruling.
Given the massive scope of the tragedy, more than 200 fatalities alone, the number of involved parties far outstripped the limited seating capacity of the courtroom. To address overcrowding concerns while upholding commitments to transparency, judicial officials arranged for a free public live online broadcast of the entire hearing, allowing victims’ families, journalists and the general public to follow the proceedings remotely.
The upcoming full trial will mark a critical milestone for survivors and bereaved relatives, as it will examine in depth the underlying structural and operational factors that led to the collapse, and ultimately rule on whether the Espaillat siblings bear criminal responsibility for the deaths and injuries caused by the disaster.