Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco made his first court appearance in the Dominican Republic on Friday, following allegations the 22-year-old baseball star had a sexual relationship with a minor whose mother he allegedly traded thousands of dollars with for her consent.
The Tampa Bay Rays shortstop is accused of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering.
Franco, who was detained in the Dominican Republic on Monday, is accused of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering, according to the Dominican foreign ministry.
Franco allegedly had a four-month relationship with a 14-year-old girl after taking her from her home in Puerto Plata in December 2022 when he was 21, according to court documents obtained by the Associated Press.
In exchange for consent from the girl’s mother, Franco allegedly sent the mother monthly payments of $1,700 over seven months and purchased her a Suzuki Swift, the Associated Press reported.
The mother—who faces the same accusations—also received unspecified electronic devices and property worth an estimated $361,000 in Montellano, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Prosecutors have requested Franco—who has denied any wrongdoing—be held on an $86,000 bond, be prohibited from leaving the Dominican Republic and placed under house arrest.
A judge will decide Friday whether Franco is charged and whether he will be under restrictions, according to the Dominican outlet Listin Diario. The case could be dismissed if the judge determines there is insufficient evidence. If Franco is not charged, he could still face punishment from Major League Baseball, including a possible suspension.
$182 million. That’s how much Franco is guaranteed over an 11-year contract with the Rays, which he signed in 2021. Franco could have earned up to $223 million if he achieved certain incentives over the contract’s lifetime, according to MLB.
The Rays placed Franco on leave in August, after allegations he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor surfaced on social media. The organization noted it would support MLB’s investigation into the allegations, and later placed Franco on MLB’s restricted list, which restricted Franco from traveling with the team. Franco subsequently denied the accusations, suggesting during a since-deleted social media livestream that “people have nothing better to do with their time.” Franco is a native of the Dominican Republic, where the age of consent is 18. Dominican officials opened an investigation into Franco in August and questioned Franco about the allegations on New Year’s Day, according to the Athletic.
Franco faces other allegations of having inappropriate relationships with minors. Prosecutors in the Dominican Republic told ESPN that two other complaints had been filed against Franco, though only one of the alleged victims was willing to speak with law enforcement.