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The sibling owners of the Santo Domingo nightclub where a roof collapse killed 236 people and injured more than 100 last year will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter, a judge ruled Monday.
Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, the owners of Jet Set nightclub, could face up to two years in prison if found guilty.
The April 8, 2025 collapse reverberated across the Dominican Republic, with authorities working frantically for days to reach people under the rubble.
Prosecutors have previously accused the Espaillats of trying to intimidate or manipulate employees. Antonio Espaillat is considered a powerful business person, owning upscale entertainment centers and dozens of local radio stations.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has asserted that it has hundreds of pieces of evidence tying the siblings to the collapse.
Hundreds of people including athletes and politicians were at Jet Set when the roof collapsed, attending a concert by singer Rubby Pérez, who was among the victims. Others included former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who was pulled from the debris but died in a hospital.
WATCH | Ottawa woman died in Dominican club roof collapse:
Sheila Berroa lived in Ottawa for seven years before returning to the Dominican due to immigration reasons. She was one of the victims after a roof collapsed at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo.
