Jet Set Trial: Victims’ lawyer denounces alleged corporate scheme
The trial on the merits against siblings Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, regarding the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub, has taken a decisive turn. Laura Acosta, the lawyer representing several of the victims, focused her intervention on the existence of a complex corporate scheme that, according to her arguments, was used for the management of the establishment.
During the hearing held in the Fourth Chamber of the Criminal Court of the Court of First Instance of the National District, the jurist detailed that, although the plaintiff supports the criminal accusation presented by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the central objective of her team is to demonstrate the civil liability of various actors linked to this framework.
The plaintiff’s strategy
Acosta maintains that the management of the entertainment center was not limited to Inversiones EIL SRL, the main company, but involved other entities related to businessman Antonio Espaillat López. According to the lawyer, this scheme was intended to dilute the assets of the original management company.
We are going to demonstrate to this court with the evidence provided that, through a network of companies, Mr. Antonio Espaillat López used other firms, essentially for the purpose of diluting the assets of Inversiones EIL.
Laura Acosta, lawyer for the victims.
Financial management guidelines
The legal representative stated before the court that companies such as Difusora Hemisferio and Radio Cadena Comercial had allegedly assumed operating expenses —such as air conditioning maintenance and renovations— that corresponded directly to the nightclub. This practice, according to Acosta, sought to fragment the business’s economic and fiscal responsibility.
- Asset dilution: It is alleged that the use of multiple companies was intended to strip the main company of its assets.
- Tax purpose: The cross-billing of goods and services under the names of different linked entities is being investigated.
- Guarantee of reparation: The lawyer warned that, if this scheme is not clarified, the victims could obtain a criminal judgment without any real possibility of being financially compensated.
The lawyer emphasized that the court must observe these corporate connections precisely and deeply, as the absence of assets in the original management company would complicate the reparation process for those affected by the tragedy.
The judicial process continues its course, as the parties present their opening statements, marking a crucial stage to determine not only criminal guilt, but also the financial liability of those who were behind the operation of the Jet Set.
