Who is Antonio Espaillat, the businessman responsible for the Jet Set tragedy?

Antonio Espaillat (New York, November 11, 1965) is a prominent Dominican businessman with a solid career in the communication, nightlife, and gastronomy industries. He is the president of the RCC Media conglomerate, which includes more than 50 radio stations and several television channels, positioning itself as one of the largest broadcasters in the Dominican Republic.

Who is Antonio Espaillat?

Born in the city of New York, United States, on November 11, 1965, son of Dominican entrepreneurs Eliseo Antonio Espaillat Almonte, originally from Santiago, and Ana Grecia López Polanco, native of Santo Domingo. In his youth he moved to the Dominican Republic, where he pursued higher education at the APEC University, obtaining a degree in Business Administration. On November 5, 1988, he married Montserrat Namnum Puigbó in Santo Domingo, of Lebanese and Catalan descent, with whom he has two children: Ricardo Antonio and Sofía Espaillat Namnum. Following the 1994 constitutional reform that authorized dual nationality, Espaillat formalized his Dominican nationality in 1998 by jus sanguinis, thus reinforcing his institutional link with the country.

Business Career of Antonio Espaillat

Jet Set and the Beginning in Entertainment

Antonio Espaillat's business career began at the nightclub Jet Set, initially working alongside his mother, Ana Grecia López. Over time, he assumed full management of the establishment, turning it into an icon of nightlife entertainment in Santo Domingo, with more than three decades of uninterrupted operation and performances by national and international artists.

RCC Media: Expansion in the media

Subsequently, Espaillat entered the media sector as a partner of the group Radio Cadena Comercial (RCC Media), later assuming majority control of the company. Under his leadership, RCC Media has integrated stations such as Zol 106.5 FM, 91 FM, 98.3 FM, 105.7 FM, Los 40 and Radio Disney, reaching a national and international audience through digital platforms. In 2018, he expanded his reach by acquiring the administration of the channel Telefuturo, Channel 23, and the Hispanoamericana Radio Network, further strengthening his position as a media entrepreneur. In 2021, the Hispanic American Press Congress recognized RCC Media and the team of the program El Sol de la Mañana for their contribution to the Dominican community and continental communication.

Gastronomy and international projection

In the field of gastronomy, he is the founder and owner of the restaurant Jalao, a gastronomic and cultural space located in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, dedicated to exalting Dominican identity. In 2022, he inaugurated an international branch of Jalao in New York City, in partnership with the renowned chef Richard Sandoval, bringing Creole cuisine to the heart of Manhattan.

Social Commitment and Philanthropy

Antonio Espaillat has actively participated in social and humanitarian projects. Between 2014 and 2018, he was president of the Dominican Republic delegation of Save the Children, promoting initiatives for children. In February 2022, he was appointed as an honorary advisor to the National Drug Council (CND), in recognition of his commitment to prevention and education programs on addictions.

For his support of social, cultural, and sports activities, he was honored in May 2022 with the dedication of the Nelson Cruz International Grand Prix of Speedboats.

Controversies and Legal Proceedings: Jet Set Case

Antonio Espaillat's name was embroiled in a deep controversy following the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub's roof on April 8, 2025, a tragedy that claimed the lives of 232 people and left more than 170 injured. Among the victims was one of his sisters. Preliminary investigations revealed that the building presented structural deficiencies, including damage caused by a fire that occurred in 2023. The collapse exposed the lack of technical inspections and preventive structural maintenance.

On April 19, the Attorney General's Office blocked transfers of assets and shares belonging to Espaillat, as part of a precautionary measure. Days later, on April 23, the businessman gave an interview to journalist Edith Febles, in which he publicly apologized to the victims' families and admitted that the establishment was never technically inspected by the authorities.

On May 7, the Public Ministry proceeded to the formal seizure of the Jet Set venue, and on June 12, Antonio and his sister Maribel Espaillat were interrogated and subsequently arrested. Both were charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter due to negligence, in accordance with article 319 of the Dominican Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Legacy in Development

Despite the judicial crisis he is going through, Antonio Espaillat has been an influential figure in the development of Dominican media and in the consolidation of spaces that promote the cultural identity of the country. The ongoing legal process will mark the fate of his legacy, now divided between his contributions to the growth of communication and the weight of one of the most devastating tragedies in entertainment in the recent history of the country.