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Judge Pardons Wander Franco, Citing Mother’s Extortion Scheme

5/27/2026

Summary

Judge Núñez Pardons

Judge José Antonio Núñez pardoned Tampa Bay shortstop Wander Franco, sparing him prison because he was a victim of his mother Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte’s extortion, which earned her $17,000 and a 10-year sex-trafficking sentence.
Franco had a suspended sentence for abusing a 14-year-old and was arrested in January 2024 over alleged payments to his mother.
He said he felt calm after the ruling while MLB will finish its investigation.

Summary

MLB Suspends Franco

MLB will apply its Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy to Wander Franco, permitting a 324-game suspension.
Franco’s $182 million, 11-year contract entered its fifth year 2026 and has earned no salary since the Rays placed him on the restricted list in July 2024.
The restricted-list move after a Dominican court pardon voids his contract and leaves the shortstop spot open.
Pending league discipline could affect the deal’s financial obligations.

Summary

Franco Convicted

Franco’s conviction qualifies as a crime involving moral turpitude, likely barring a U.S. work visa.
Prosecutors seized over $100,000 in cash during raids on the mother’s home.
The Rays can void the remaining $160 million of his $182 million, 11-year contract under morality clauses.
The team has paused its new stadium development amid the legal fallout.

History

Historical Context

Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti placed Pete Rose on baseball’s ineligible list on August 24 1989 after a 30-year investigation revealed $1.5 million in bets, echoing the commissioner’s power established by Kenesaw Mountain Landis after the 1919 Black Sox scandal. The policy’s evolution continued under Rob Manfred, who in 2025 ended bans at death, affecting Rose’s posthumous reinstatement.

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Judge Núñez Pardons

Judge José Antonio Núñez pardoned Tampa Bay shortstop Wander Franco, sparing him prison because he was a victim of his mother Martha Vanessa Chevalier Almonte’s extortion, which earned her $17,000 and a 10-year sex-trafficking sentence.
Franco had a suspended sentence for abusing a 14-year-old and was arrested in January 2024 over alleged payments to his mother.
He said he felt calm after the ruling while MLB will finish its investigation.

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