A Sandals Resorts executive and his colleague lover found themselves entangled in a dramatic altercation captured on video in the Caribbean. The fallout from the incident has left both individuals without jobs.
Rafael de Vasconcelos is an art curator affiliated with Sandals Resorts. He was identified as one of the central figures in the surprising confrontation that transpired on March 2nd. The altercation took place in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It involved Eugene Staal, the chief development officer of the renowned hotel chain.
Eyewitnesses and clips shed light on the disturbing events that unfolded that night. Reports suggest that de Vasconcelos initiated the altercation by physically assaulting Staal along a highway.
A top official said that the pair was staying on the island in advance of a new Sandals resort launching there last week. They left an event at around 11 p.m.
A video captured de Vasconcelos pushing Staal into a concrete ditch beside the highway while a black automobile was idling in the center of the road. He then leaped on top of Staal and repeatedly slammed his head against the pavement while yelling at him.
According to the video, De Vasconcelos then got into the vehicle and drove off. Staal then started walking the highway.
It was reported that police were called to the scene. However, sources said that it was unclear what started the argument.
Staal also got medical attention after the incident.
The senior executive told The Post: “I don’t know if they had too much to drink [but] when I watched the video, it was very brutal. I remember watching the video and thinking ‘This guy’s lucky to be alive’ … I was surprised he could get up and walk.”
According to his LinkedIn, Staal is a seasoned hotel executive who worked with Hyatt and Penta Hotels before joining Sandals in 2022. De Vasconcelos joined the organization in January after working as a fraud analyst for Apple in Lisbon, Portugal.
Although Staal and de Vasconcelos were no longer employed by Sandals, a representative for the company failed to provide an explanation for their exits.
