Rays’ Wander Franco Accused Of Sexually Exploiting Minors And Money Laundering

Prosecutors in the Dominican Republic accused Tampa Bay Rays star Wander Franco of sexually exploiting at least one minor and making hush money payments to silence family members. A judge will reportedly make a ruling in the case on Friday.

In a statement released Wednesday and later translated to English, prosecutors requested an $86,000 bond for Franco. He has been detained since Monday for failing to appear at summons last week and has not yet been arrested for any charges brought forward by prosecutors. He cannot be released until Friday when a judge will make an initial ruling on the case’s next steps. The judge can choose to release Franco on bond, detain him and prevent him from leaving the country, or force him to appear at certain intervals as the case progresses.

“The Puerto Plata Prosecutor’s Office … filed this Wednesday the request for a coercive measure against the Major League baseball player, Wander Franco, and the mother of a minor, who are charged with the crimes of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering,” the prosecutor’s statement said.

All other names in the case, which allegedly involve multiple minors and family members, have been kept private. The Tampa Bay Rays, who signed Franco to an 11-year, $182 million extension in 2021, have not commented on the recent development in his case. The team has not publicly addressed Franco’s legal trouble since August when MLB and local law enforcement in the Dominican Republic first began investigating.

“We support any steps taken by the league to better understand the situation,” the Rays said in a statement at the time. “Out of respect for all parties involved, we have no further comments at this time.”

Franco was placed on the restricted list in August and has not competed for Tampa Bay since, though he continued to receive money for the duration of the season. The Rays reactivated him at the end of the season, but this was simply a clerical move, as the team has no intention of fielding Franco until the investigations and court proceedings conclude.

Article by Patrick Moquin