Dominican authorities freeze Wander Franco’s bank accounts amid dispute

Authorities in the Dominican Republic ordered a temporary freeze on three bank accounts linked to Wander Franco after one of the Rays shortstop’s former lawyers in Santo Domingo filed a lawsuit over unpaid fees.

Juan Francisco Rodríguez Consoró is seeking the equivalent of $256,000 for the seven weeks he says he represented Franco, Teodosio Jáquez Encarnación, Franco’s lawyer in Puerto Plata, said Thursday.

Little more than a week ago, Rodríguez Consoró informed the Tampa Bay Times via text message that he no longer represented the 22-year-old, without specifying when or why he ceased to do so.

Franco faces possible criminal charges relating to an alleged sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl that could send him to prison and end his Major League Baseball career.

“Rodríguez Consoró will have the opportunity to present to a judge all the procedures and diligences he conducted on behalf of Wander, and that judge or the necessary judges will decide if Wander truly owes him the amount of money he is demanding,” Encarnación said. “But what he intends to charge is an abuse!”

According to Encarnación, Dominican authorities froze not only Franco’s accounts but also those of his parents, Nancy Aybar and Wander Franco.

A reporter from the Times attempted to contact Rodríguez Consoró by phone Thursday afternoon seeking more details about his lawsuit, but he refused to talk and hung up without explanation

Less than a year ago, Rodríguez Consoró was removed from his position as a criminal court judge following an investigation by the Dominican Republic’s judiciary’s highest disciplinary body. It found that he accepted bribes and issued court orders favoring suspects in several criminal cases, according to court documents.

Encarnación said Dominican judicial officials will clarify the facts about Rodríguez Consoró and his role as former Franco’s lawyer. He said Franco never signed a contract with Rodríguez Consoró that stipulated such an amount of money.

“Wander has not signed any contract agreeing to pay him that much, nor Wander’s parents,” Encarnación said. “It is absolutely excessive and disproportionate.”

Encarnación criticized Rodríguez Consoró's lawsuit as abusive, given the minimal or almost nonexistent work he said Rodríguez Consoró performed while leading the legal team.

“He didn’t even take the stand at Wander’s first hearing. I did, and he knows why he didn’t. Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” Encarnación said. “At no point has Wander refused to pay fees to that man who did nothing. I did everything.”

According to Encarnación, Dominican authorities have given Rodríguez Consoró three days to present the necessary documentation to substantiate and support the fees he intends to charge.

Encarnación said the situation with Rodríguez Consoró has been tense since the beginning, as Wander’s parents never wanted him to be their son’s lawyer.

“When they found out who he was, they told Wander they didn’t want him to continue because, far from helping, he was causing harm,” Encarnación said. “People always say: Tell me who you’re with, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

Encarnación said his focus is on successfully navigating the challenges of Franco’s legal battle.

“We are working on Wander’s judicial process, and the results will come out because a judge will decide on Wander’s guilt or innocence. We are in the final phase,” said Encarnación. “Very soon, we will know the decision, and you will realize that most of the things that have been said on social networks do not correspond with the reality of the facts.”

Franco is aware of the situation and continued to do what was required of him, Encarnacion said. He did not say whether Franco was planning to return to Tampa Bay in the near future.

Allegations against Franco first became public through social media on Aug. 13. Franco appeared to deny them in a live video broadcast on his Instagram channel that day. He has not spoken publicly since then, other than to tell Dominican reporters, “Everything is going to be in God’s hands,” during a break in his hearing to consider prosecutors’ request for coercive measures in early January.

“Wander is doing his work here, alongside his family, and engaging in his sports practice almost every day, as is usual,” Encarnacion said. “When the time comes and it is required or necessary, he will be there.”