Rays’ Wander Franco paid mother of minor for her consent

When he was 21 years old, Rays star Wander Franco had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old while making regular payments to the girl’s mother that she used to buy property, a 2023 sedan and electronic devices, prosecutors in the Dominican Republic allege.

The minor told a psychologist as part of the ongoing investigation into the suspended shortstop that her mother used her for her own personal gain, mentioning seven monthly deposits and the car in exchange for allowing the relationship to continue and remaining silent about it, according to new documents related to the case, which also allege that Franco’s mother made payments to the minor’s mother.

The stunning revelations are part of a 63-page filing viewed by multiple news sources in the Dominican Republic — the most detailed account yet of what investigators and the victim are alleging. Prosecutors have accused both Franco and the mother of the minor of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering.

Franco arrived in handcuffs Friday for his first appearance before a judge. Prosecutors asked that he be prohibited from leaving the country.

According to multiple reports, the judge ordered Franco’s conditional release while the investigation continues. Franco will have to pay a financial guarantee equating to about $34,000 and make monthly visits to the court for six months. He was not placed on house arrest or prevented from leaving the country. The judge ordered house arrest for the mother of the girl.

“Everything is going to be in God’s hands,” Franco told El Caribe, ESPN Deportes and others earlier Friday in his first public comment since seeming to deny the accusations in a live video he broadcast on his Instagram channel over the summer.

Diario Libre and Noticias SIN, two Spanish-language news outlets in the Dominican Republic, quoted from the court filing stating that Franco and the girl’s mother engaged in the exploitation and prostitution of minors, physical and sexual abuse, and trafficking of minors.

The teenager’s mother “gave her minor daughter in exchange for money to the accused Wander Franco and forced him to keep handing over money, to silence the crime of child abuse,” the document states, according to the news outlets.

Franco took the minor from her home in the province of Puerto Plata on Dec. 9, 2022, and “for a period of two days, the accused had sexual relations with the teenager,” according to the documents viewed by the news outlets. Elsewhere in the court filing, it alleges the relationship spanned four months, according to the news outlets.

The girl, in her interview with the psychologist, said her mother had profited from her relationship with Franco and with others, and indicated she was not a willing participant.

“Since I was little, my mother has seen me as a way for her to benefit from both the partners she has had and my partners, and it is something that I dislike very much,” she told the psychologist, according to the news accounts.

The relationship came to light in July, when the girl reached out to a digital media company with her story of the relationship, providing pictures, to try to force her mother into sharing the money she had received from Franco. An anonymous complaint was made to the Gender Violence Unit of Puerto Plata based on that report.

The girl retracted the story three days later, and her mother went to the same unit claiming Franco had abducted her daughter. Prosecutors contend this report of kidnapping was an attempt to shift the focus of the investigation from herself.

Authorities accuse Franco of sending the mother monthly payments of $1,700 for seven months and buying her a car “in order to allow the relationship and let her go out with him wherever she wanted,” according to the document, which quoted the girl.

Authorities also state that Franco’s mother had sent money to the girl’s mother, but she has not been charged in the case even though they said she got involved “to avoid traces of her son with the accused.”

In September 2023, authorities raided the home of the girl’s mother and seized 800,000 Dominican pesos ($13,700), as well as $68,500 they said was found hidden behind a frame. Another seizure at a different home found a guarantee certificate from a local bank for the equivalent of $36,000 that they said was delivered by Franco for the “commercial and sexual exploitation” of the girl.

In addition, they seized a Suzuki Swift worth $26,600, according to the document viewed by the news outlets. Authorities noted that days before the car was bought, the teenager’s mother had the equivalent of $821 in her bank account. The mother also bought property in Puerto Plata worth $36,000, they said.

Also Friday, the father of the girl filed a civil complaint against Franco, alleging he had harmed his daughter. He is seeking compensation.

Allegations against Franco first came to light publicly via social media on Aug. 13. He initially agreed to take a one-week leave from the Rays as Major League Baseball investigated. He was then placed on administrative leave under the league and players union’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

Dominican Republic authorities confirmed they were investigating similar allegations. After four months of quiet, their investigation has moved quickly since Christmas.

On Dec. 26, two homes were searched: the home of Franco’s mother in the community of Palo Blanco in Baní and the home registered to Franco in Villa Real. Authorities also went to the homes of Franco’s uncles the next day. He was not found at any of the locations.

Word was left with Franco’s wife that he was to appear at the prosecutors’ office on Dec. 28.

Franco failed to show, and when he finally did appear — with a new set of lawyers — he was questioned for about three hours and detained.

ESPN Deportes reported Franco was arrested for failing to comply with the summons. He actually ignored two summonses, according to Listin Diario, on Dec. 28 and 29.

Franco, who signed an 11-year deal with the Rays worth $182 million in November 2021, has not played in a game since Aug. 12.

Even if he avoids legal penalties in the Dominican Republic, Franco still could be suspended by the league. But that is unlikely to happen before the court proceedings conclude.

Franco, who is owed $2 million for this upcoming season, was elected to his first All-Star team in July. He was hitting .281 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs before his season was cut short.

The Rays’ first full-squad workout of spring training is set for Feb. 20 in Port Charlotte. The team has several infielders who can play shortstop, but top replacement Taylor Walls had offseason hip surgery, and he may not be ready by opening day.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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