Tampa Bay Rays’ Wander Franco fails to show up for meeting with Dominican prosecutor

Tampa Bay All-Star Player Under Investigation in Alleged Relationship with a Minor

Wander Franco, a renowned shortstop player for the Tampa Bay Rays, missed a scheduled meeting with a prosecutor, Olga Diná Llaverías, who is looking into allegations about his involvement with a minor. This unexplained absence does not halt the ongoing investigation into the matter, said Llaverías, despite her attempt to meet with Franco and his legal team, who didn’t show up at her office.

The Dominican prosecutors and police visited Franco’s property in Baní, his hometown, in search of the 22-year-old player for questioning. However, they were unable to locate him to request his appearance for testimony.

His U.S.-based lawyer, Jay Reisinger, refrained from making any comments regarding Franco’s legal situation.

The Dominican Republic’s prosecutors’ office announced the commencement of an investigation into Franco on Aug. 14, related to his social media content suggesting a relationship with a minor. The validity of these posts, however, could not be independently confirmed by the Associated Press.

The reason for Franco’s no-show might be due to confusion regarding his lawyers’ summoning for the meeting. The AP obtained a document indicating the dismissal of Franco’s previous lawyers, Luz Díaz Rodríguez, Rosalina Trueba, Cristian Cabrera, and Manuel Rodríguez.

Following these developments, MLB initiated its own investigation, leading to Franco’s placement on the restricted list on Aug. 14. He was later moved to administrative leave on Aug. 22, citing the league’s policy on domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse, and he continued to receive service time during this period. The timeline for the conclusion of MLB’s investigation and the potential repercussions, if any, on Franco’s status within the league remains uncertain.

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