Michael Roth seemed to have it all—a mansion near the beach, a fleet of muscle cars, and thriving helicopter tour companies flying over New York City and Miami.
But that picture-perfect lifestyle took a devastating hit when one of his helicopters went down during a routine sightseeing flight, killing everyone on board.
A Flight That Should Have Been a Memory Turned into a Nightmare
What was meant to be an unforgettable New York helicopter tour for a family visiting from Spain turned tragic.
Agustin Escober, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children—10-year-old Agustin, 8-year-old Mercedes, and 4-year-old Victor—were all killed when the helicopter plummeted to the ground.
The pilot, 36-year-old Sean Johnson, a Navy SEAL veteran, also lost his life.
Despite the horrific crash and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) grounding the company for investigation, New York Helicopter’s website continued to operate, accepting bookings and promoting the very helicopter involved in the crash as “the safest, most reliable aircraft in the world.”
A Life of Wealth and Flash
Roth, now 71, built a lavish lifestyle for himself and his wife, 62-year-old Josephine Sausa.
The couple owned a sprawling mansion in Rockaway Park, just steps from the beach, which Roth bought for $2 million in 2020.
He wasted no time personalizing it—covering the lawn and exterior with pro-Trump signs ahead of the election.
Their second home was an extravagant five-bedroom villa in Miami Beach, described in listings as resembling the Versace Mansion.
The house came with all the trimmings—ornate finishes, a designer kitchen, sleek bathrooms, and a private pool. It wasn’t just a home; it was part of Roth’s brand as a high-flying entrepreneur.
Muscle Cars, Memes, and MAGA Pride
Roth’s love for luxury extended beyond real estate.
He was a muscle car fanatic, owning at least four Mustang roadsters, including a 2007 Mustang GT500 Super Snake and a pair of Shelby GT500 coupes.
Photos showed him and his wife posing proudly beside Ferraris, Bentleys, and other exotic cars.
A bright yellow sports car was often parked outside their Miami home.
His social media was a mix of car selfies, luxury lifestyle shots, and hundreds of reposted memes—most of them political.
Roth was vocal in his admiration for Donald Trump, regularly posting messages like “Love my President for 8 more years,” even though a U.S. president is limited to two terms.
He didn’t mince words about political opponents either, calling Democrats corrupt and targeting Barack Obama as “the face of evil.”
Sausa, for her part, mostly stayed away from political commentary but made controversial remarks on a post about animal rights in China, writing, “Kudos for the few Asian who r not evil.”
Cracks in the Empire
Even before the crash, Roth’s empire had been under pressure.
Back in 2019, New York Helicopter filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing massive financial strain.
Roth blamed a 2017 city regulation that slashed tourist helicopter flights, saying, “A small minority in New York City hates a helicopter… We are part of the fabric of the tourist industry.”
The numbers told the story: revenue dropped from $4.5 million in 2017 to $3.9 million the next year.
Employee numbers were halved, and by 2019, the company listed $6 million in assets but owed $1.6 million in liabilities.
Roth pinned the collapse on New York City’s restrictions, claiming it destroyed what had once been a “great business.”
Though the company clawed its way out of bankruptcy by 2022, it never fully recovered.
Roth admitted he had sold most of his prized cars, leaving him with just one.
Six weeks before the crash, he quietly listed the Miami mansion for $3.5 million, signaling further financial distress.
Legal Storms and Ongoing Battles
The financial woes didn’t stop there. Last year, the company filed a lawsuit over what it called a predatory loan from 2018.
That case was dropped just last month, with no indication whether there was a settlement.
Other legal troubles piled on.
In January, New York Helicopter was sued for over $1.4 million by a leasing company claiming unpaid bills for a helicopter.
Another lawsuit came in February from a lender saying the company blocked payments on a loan, still owing more than $83,000.
New York Helicopter hasn’t responded to either case publicly.
Despite all this, the company issued a statement after the recent crash, saying it was “profoundly saddened” and emphasized that “the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew has always been the cornerstone of our operations.”
What Went Wrong?
Roth, who launched New York Helicopter in the 1990s, said he was “absolutely devastated.”
In an emotional interview with the New York Post, he described watching a video of the crash and noticing the main rotor blades appeared to be missing from the helicopter.
“I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years,” he said. “Maybe a bird strike, maybe rotor blade failure… I just don’t know.”
The helicopter that crashed was a Bell206L-4 LongRanger IV, leased from Meridian Helicopters—a company with a checkered history.
Investigators previously found that a similar Bell 206, also operated by New York Helicopter, had a hidden faulty part deliberately painted over to cover up damage.
That incident didn’t result in fatalities, but it raised serious questions about maintenance and oversight.
The Bigger Picture: Helicopter Tours and NYC Risks
Helicopter tours over New York are a booming business but come with high risks.
More than three dozen people have died in crashes in the past 50 years. Just a few weeks ago, a different company agreed to a $90 million wrongful-death settlement tied to a 2018 sightseeing crash.
Still, thousands of flights take off safely each year.
Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged the crash but said investigations were ongoing and didn’t call for a broader ban on tours.
The heliport in lower Manhattan, where Thursday’s flight originated, continues to operate.
A Company with a Shaky Track Record
While New York Helicopter boasted an “industry-leading safety record” online, the facts don’t back that up.
In 2013, a power failure forced one of their helicopters into an emergency water landing.
Fortunately, everyone survived.
Another incident in 2015 involved a hard landing after the aircraft began spinning mid-air.
That helicopter had been involved in a separate hard landing in Chile years earlier and was still deemed airworthy despite serious concerns about reused, faulty parts.
What Comes Next?
The NTSB is currently investigating the cause of the deadly crash.
Meanwhile, Roth is dealing with the aftermath—emotional, legal, and financial.
Once the face of luxury helicopter tours in two of America’s flashiest cities, he now finds himself grounded, both literally and figuratively.
Whether New York Helicopter survives this latest blow remains uncertain.
But one thing is clear: the tragedy has cast a harsh spotlight on an industry that markets glamour while often hiding the risks beneath the surface.