Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco to be conditionally released while under investigation in Dominican Republic
A judge in the Dominican Republic has ordered the conditional release of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco while he is being investigated for allegations relating to a relationship with a 14-year-old girl, court documents obtained by The Associated Press revealed.
The judge has permitted Wander Franco to leave the Dominican Republic, but has also ordered him to return once a month for meetings with authorities. Additionally, Franco was instructed to pay 2 million Dominican pesos ($34,000) as a type of deposit while the investigation continues. Franco, who is expected to be released early Saturday, refrained from speaking to reporters after the hearing, apart from saying “everything is in God’s hands.”
The 22-year-old All-Star is accused of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering. According to the allegations, he is said to have provided a 14-year-old girl’s mother with a car and thousands of dollars in exchange for her consent to have a relationship with the minor.
Franco’s legal representaives have not made any public comments beyond stating that he was “doing fine.” Major League Baseball has placed Franco on the restricted list and is conducting its own investigation alongside the one in the Dominican Republic; both investigations are ongoing.
The girl’s 35-year-old mother, who faces the same charges as Franco, has been ordered to be held under house arrest as the investigation continues.
This controversial case attracted a crowd of supporters who were present outside the courthouse. As the ruling was announced, the supporters clapped and shouted “Boss! Boss!” in reference to Franco.
Franco is known for having an impressive All-Star season prior to being sidelined in August. He signed a $182 million, 11-year contract in 2021, and his annual salary is $2 million. Both investigations into the allegations are ongoing.