Former Major League Baseball star Raul Mondesi has been sentenced to six years and nine months in prison by a Dominican court.
The sentence, which also includes a fine of $507,000, stems from corruption charges during Mondesi’s tenure as mayor of San Cristobal in Dominican Republic.
The 53-year-old Mondesi faced accusations from prosecutors of embezzling $5 million during his mayoral term from 2010 to 2016.
This verdict follows a negotiated agreement with the prosecutors’ office.
Notably, Mondesi had already served six years under house arrest, effectively completing his sentence.
Mondesi was one of the more solid players during his era in the Majors.
He won the National League Rookie of the Year in 1994 and earned a spot in the All-Star Game the following year.
Over his 13-season career, he won two Gold Gloves and played for several teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers (1993-1999), Toronto Blue Jays (2000-2002), New York Yankees (2002-2003), Arizona Diamondbacks (2003), Pittsburgh Pirates (2004), Anaheim Angels (2004), and Atlanta Braves (2005).
He retired with a .273 career batting average, 271 home runs and 860 RBIs.
Mondesi’s political career began in San Cristobal, where he served as a lawmaker from 2006 to 2010 before becoming mayor.
Following his mayoral stint, he unsuccessfully ran for a senate seat.
The charges against him included document falsification, criminal association, and malfeasance.
Mondesi’s son, Adalberto Mondesi, also made his mark in baseball, starting his career with the Kansas City Royals and contributing to their 2015 World Series victory.
Adalberto is currently a free agent, recovering from a knee injury sustained in March 2023.
What are your thoughts on the bizarre story?
The sentencing is a little deceiving since they are giving Mondesi credit for time served during his house arrest – but still, it’s a significant fall from grace from one of the better players in recent memory.
What are your thoughts on Mondesi’s playing career? … Do you think he had one of the best outfield arms over the past 30 years???