SANTO DOMINGO.- The Espaillat family, owners of the Jet Set nightclub, where the roof collapsed on April 8, leaving 236 people dead and more than 180 injured, issued a statement yesterday, highlighting that to date they have signed 40 financial compensation agreements with victims of the tragedy, which occurred while merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who died in the collapse, was entertaining the crowd at the traditional Monday night party at the establishment.
This is the full statement from the Espaillat family:
Statement from the Espaillat Family and E & L Investments, SRL
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | June 18, 2025
Since the tragic incident on April 8th at the establishment known as Jet Set, our family has remained silent. Not out of indifference, but out of deep respect for the victims' pain and out of prudence in the face of an ongoing legal process.
However, given the circulation of multiple reports that do not correspond to the truth or to properly documented facts, we feel that the time has come to speak to the country, with sincerity, clarity and respect.
Mr. Antonio Espaillatwas out of the country, participating in a previously scheduled international event. However, he voluntarily returned to the Dominican Republic that same day and has since been available to the authorities, complying with every requirement and actively cooperating with the investigation.
Over the past two months, concrete actions have been taken, including:
- was formally requested to preserve the structural evidence and allow an objective and impartial expert assessment; it was requested that the international expert engineer Nicolás Saenz from the firm Thornton Tomasetti be accredited as technical representative before the assessment that was being carried out.
- Today, more than 100 documents were submitted as part of the defense budget, including passports voluntarily surrendered, family and work ties certifications, medical records, and press publications.
- A public channel for victim assistance was enabled from May 1st (announced in Diario Libre, page 10).
- More than 40 agreements for financial compensation and human support, legalized before a notary, have been signed, without any advertising or conditions, with relatives of the deceased, injured persons and affected musicians.
- Respectful treatment of witnesses in the case has also been documented, including Mr. Gregory Adames, whose own private conversations refute any narrative of intimidation.
We have not sought the limelight or justifications. Today we decided to speak not to defend ourselves in the media, but so that society may know the truth based on documentation: we have acted with responsibility, transparency, and humanity.
To the families who are suffering, we reiterate our respect and unconditional support. To the authorities, we reaffirm our full willingness to cooperate. And to Dominican society, we ask for justice based on facts, not narratives.
We are making available to the media and all interested parties (attached) the budgets presented and submitted to the court responsible for hearing the coercive measures. The document describes evidence, technical studies, legal certifications, and agreements signed with more than forty victims and their families.
This document and inventory presents, for the first time, a detailed reconstruction, supported by documentary evidence, of the behavior of the Jet Set family and the Espaillat family in the events that occurred at Jet Set. Based on this evidentiary foundation, the publicly presented claims about the case are precisely dismantled.
