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Wander Franco went connected proceedings connected Monday amid allegations helium had been successful a narration with a insignificant and paid her parent thousands of dollars for her consent.
The 2023 MLB All-Star past played that August. Since then, helium has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, intersexual and commercialized exploitation against a minor, and quality trafficking.
Prosecutors accidental the minor’s parent went from being a slope worker to allegedly starring an ostentatious beingness and acquiring assets utilizing the funds she received from Franco.
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Tampa Bay Rays prima Wander Franco went connected proceedings Monday. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
During raids connected the location of the minor’s mother, prosecutors accidental they recovered $68,500 and $35,000 that they allege was delivered by Franco.
Franco appeared successful tribunal Monday and gave an emphatic plea.
"Let justness beryllium done," helium said, via ESPN.
According to ESPN, Dominican prosecutors accidental Franco called the insignificant "my girl" successful a WhatsApp message, admitting that the narration was a "risk," but helium "loved it."
"My girl," Franco allegedly wrote successful Spanish. "If my squad realizes this, it could origin problems for me. It is simply a regularisation for each teams that we cannot speech to minors, and yet I took the hazard and I loved it."
Prosecutors accidental Franco's alleged narration with the girl, who was 14 astatine the time, lasted 4 months, and helium allegedly paid her to not talk astir it. The girl's parent besides faces charges for wealth laundering based connected gifts allegedly sent to her by Franco.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, center, is escorted by constabulary to tribunal successful Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, connected Jan. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernández)
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The shortstop allegedly gave the miss the equivalent of $46,000 successful July and August and allegedly paid the parent astir $1,700 per month, on with a caller car, according to documents that were released successful January past year, via ESPN.
Franco and the miss allegedly met connected Dec. 9, 2022 aft helium "took her from her home," had enactment doubly successful a two-day span and began their relationship.
Franco past played a Major League crippled connected Aug. 12, 2023, and with the charges, it is present progressively apt helium volition ne'er play again.
Franco was an All-Star for the archetypal clip that season, arsenic helium slashed .281/.344/.475 with 17 homers and 58 RBI implicit 112 games.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco throws to archetypal basal against the Miami Marlins astatine Tropicana Field successful St. Petersburg, Florida, connected July 25, 2023. (Jonathan Dyer-USA Today Sports)
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He signed an 11-year, $182 cardinal declaration hold successful November 2021, but a squad enactment was capable to marque the woody worthy $233 million. Franco is nary longer being paid, but was receiving payments portion connected administrative leave. The payments ended erstwhile helium was past placed connected the restricted list.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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