At the age of 20, he had 251.9 billion won, and he's facing up to 20 years in prison for Franco's sex crimes...indictment of three charges
Jul 11, 2024
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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was listed on the 'Restricted List' on the 11th (Korea Standard Time). The Tampa Bay club took the action a day after Dominican Republic prosecutors indicted Franco on three charges, including sexual intercourse with minors, on the 10th.
Franco was previously in the state of 'administrative leave'. The agreement between MLB and the MLB players' union states that when a player is indicted, administrative leave, which receives an annual salary, will be lifted. In other words, while you are a restricted player, not only will you not be paid a salary, but your service time will also be suspended.
According to ESPN and other foreign media, the Dominican Republic's prosecution investigated Franco for more than six months and charged him with sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of minors, and human trafficking. ESPN predicted that `if the charges are found guilty, they will be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.'
Aside from the prosecution's indictment, MLB is investigating the case against Franco. MLB cannot take any disciplinary action until Franco's charges are found guilty or not guilty. However, given that there is a high possibility of guilt, severe punishment is expected to be inevitable in accordance with the joint rules between MLB and the MLB players' union on domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse in the future.
MLB is aware of the indictment against Franco in a statement on the same day. Our investigation is ongoing and we will monitor the progress and monitor the matter as closely as possible."
According to records obtained by ESPN earlier this year, Franco, who was born in March 2001, began a relationship with a 14-year-old girl when she was 21, and prosecutors believe Franco gave her mother a new car for $1,700 a month. Dominican Republic prosecutors charged the girl's mother with money laundering.
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However, Franco has not played properly since then due to injuries and legal issues. In 2022, he took about a month off in the first half due to a thigh injury, and immediately suffered a wrist injury and returned at the end of the season after two months of rehabilitation. He hit .277 with six home runs in 83 games that year. And in mid-August last year, he was ordered to take administrative leave after allegations arose on social media that he had an inappropriate relationship with minors.
jhno@sportschosun.com
