'Hero' who claimed he rescued dozens from Domincan Republic nightclub collapse is exposed as a faker who made it all up

An unemployed security guard was arrested Tuesday after authorities discovered he lied about rescuing 12 people from the collapsed nightclub in the Dominican Republic.

Rafael Rosario went on a paid media tour last week following the tragedy that killed 231 people and injured more than 200 at Jet Set in the capital city of Santo Domingo.

The 32-year-old was leaving the studios of online digital platform after he was compensated for sharing his false recollections of the April 8 accident when National Police placed him under arrest.

Rosario offered a videotaped apology that was published across the law enforcement agencys social media networks.

Im here to deny those videos, that I wasnt there, that I didnt rescue those people, and that the rescuers and the police there were profiting, and that they were just taking people out as if by chance, as if by preference. Thats false, a lie, Rosario said.

The fake rescuer admitted to placing himself at the scene of the popular nightclub because he was paid to do so, but did not say where the money had come from.

I apologize to the public, I apologize to the authorities, that they forgive me about that. I did it because they gave me money since I wasnt working right now. They gave me money, he said.

In each of the interviews that he appeared on, Rosario sported a heavily bandaged left hand, an injury he claimed to have sustained while rescuing the trapped crowd.

Rafael Rosario appeared in the studios of Noticias Telemicro on April 10 and provided a detailed account of how he rescued 12 people from Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on April 8 after a roof collapsed, eventually killing 231 people and injuring more than 200. The National Police arrested Rosario on Tuesday after learning that he had lied

At least 231 people were killed and more than 200 suffered injuries after the roof collapsed at Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on April 8

However, the injury was caused by an accidental gunshot wound he suffered in February

Im just here to ask you to sincerely forgive me for those videos circulating on social media, he said.

Rosario was branded a national hero last Thursday when he captured the hearts of the audience that tuned in for a live interview on Noticias Telemicro as he met networks presenter, Elianta Quintero, whose life he claimed to have saved.

He explained that he was accompanying a client and approached Jet Set to see if it was worth visiting when the roof caved in.

We were removing obstacles, and she appeared among the rubble, Rosario recalled. Her feet were trapped under a beam. She couldnt get out. Eventually, she took off her shoes, and we were able to get her out.

Quintero fought back tears as she thanked him without knowing that he was not among the first responders and Good Samaritans that came to her aid.

Rafael was a miracle from God in my life. Thanks to him, Im alive today, she said. 

I want to give you a huge hug and my eternal gratitude. You risked your life to save mine. Ill never forget it.

Rafael Rosario issued an apology on Tuesday across the Domincan Republic National Polices social media accounts and said that he was paid to lie about rescuing 12 people from under the rubble at Jet Set nightclub following the roof collapse April 8 

Elianta Quintero, a presenter for Domincan Republic television news network, Noticias Telemicro, was among more than 200 people who survived the roof collapse at Jet Set nightclub

Dominican merengue singer Rubby Pérez (left) performing on stage with his backup singers, his daughter Zulinka (center) and her husband (right), moments before the roof collapsed at Jet Set club

Rosario had an outstanding arrest warrant for issuing a death threat to a woman in May 2022, according to Noticias Telemicro. 

During the investigation, it was established that Rosario Mota Foster was never at the scene of the tragedy, nor did she rescue anyone, as he has stated in multiple interviews, the National Police said in a statement.

Rosarios arrest comes as Dominican authorities have zeroed in individuals who attempted to benefit from the incident that killed merengue icon Rubby Pérez, who was performing at the club, and former major leaguers, Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco.

Last Thursday, the National Police announced the arrest of Alexis Tejada, a TikToker who claimed to have been a survivor.

Rafael Rosario (left) and Elianta Quintero (right) met for the first time last Thursday during a live interview that aired on Noticias Telemicro, just two days after Rosario claimed to have saved the life of Quintero and 11 other people at Jet Set nightclub

Rafael Rosario confessed that the injury on his left hand was caused by a self-inflicted accidental gunshot wound in February 

Everyone who was there wanted to get out, Tejada said with a somber face during a livestream on the social media app. 

There were people offering, they offered to people to get them out.

Tejada, who has more than 150,000 followers on TikTok and is known as Bokita RD, went so far as accusing cops of stealing the belongings of the people who were trapped under the rubble.

The police were just messing around, trying to take what little they could find, he said.

Authorities also arrested two individuals who used their social media platforms to publish images of Pérezs lifeless body.