Michael Jackson lookalike Felipe Pettinato sentenced to 3 years in prison over apartment fire

Felipe Pettinato, widely known for his resemblance to Michael Jackson, has been sentenced to three years in prison following a fatal apartment fire in Argentina. However, he will not serve time behind bars.

The sentencing, delivered on April 20, followed his conviction for negligent arson resulting in death. The case stems from a fire that broke out in May 2022 at his apartment in Buenos Aires, which claimed the life of neurologist Melchor Rodrigo, who was reportedly asleep at the time.

Although Pettinato, 32, initially faced a more serious charge of intentional arson resulting in death, the court determined there was no evidence to suggest the fire was deliberately started.

Speaking on the case, Chief Prosecutor Fernando Klappenbach explained:
“That day, Pettinato handled a Zippo-style lighter with a flip-top lid in a negligent manner.

“That careless and improper handling – outside acceptable limits and permitted risks – led to a fire in which Dr Rodrigo sadly died.

“Pettinato did not abandon his friend – that is clear from the evidence.

“He went to get a fire extinguisher, then went to look for another, but a neighbour would not let him back into the flat.

“He may have been useless – completely useless in how he used the extinguisher, I don’t know – but it cannot be said that he did nothing.”

Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of four years and seven months, while Pettinato’s defense team argued for his acquittal. Meanwhile, legal representatives for Rodrigo’s family pushed for a significantly harsher 15-year sentence.

Pettinato is the son of Roberto Pettinato, a well-known musician and television presenter. Despite this, he has often expressed a deep admiration for Michael Jackson, at times referring to the late pop icon as his “true father.”

His fascination with the King of Pop reportedly began at the age of eight, after receiving a Michael Jackson CD from his stepbrother. He later built a career performing across Argentina as a tribute artist, gaining attention for his striking resemblance to the “Thriller” star.

He once said: “I admire him in his personal life – he inspires me a lot to trust myself and not get caught up in criticism or what’s going on outside.”

Following Jackson’s death in 2009, he added: “People were sending me condolences by text message as if he were a member of my family. To this day, I still can’t believe he’s dead.”

In a separate legal matter, Pettinato was also convicted in April 2024 of sexual abuse related to an incident in 2018.

As part of his current sentence, he is required to register a fixed address, remain under supervision, and continue undergoing detoxification and drug rehabilitation treatment.