Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Charged in Bust of Florida Prostitution Ring

Paul Schrodt

February 22, 2019 8:05 PM

Mere weeks after the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl for the sixth time, team owner Robert Kraft is in a precarious legal situation. The billionaire CEO of the Kraft Group has been charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution, according to police .

Patriots' Bob Kraft Charged in Prostitution Case

The charges come as a result of a police bust on massage parlors in Florida, which law enforcement claim were used for prostitution and human trafficking. Kraft's alleged incidents relate to "two different visits" to the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida, the city's police chief Daniel Kerr said at a Friday press conference.

"Charges have been filed, but he has not been arrested," Jupiter police spokesperson Kristin Rightler said of Kraft. At the press conference, Kerr added that a warrant for Kraft's arrest is with the states attorneys office and will be sent to Krafts home in Massachusetts.

The Patriots refuted the allegations against Kraft. "We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further," a representative for the team said.

Meanwhile, Kerr said that police hold video evidence of Kraft involved in sex acts in the massage parlor on two occasions. In total, 25 people have been charged with soliciting prostitution at Orchids of Asia. The police chief added that there's video evidence against "all of the individuals being charged."

In answering questions about the Orchids of Asia sting, Jupiter detective Andrew Sharp, who oversaw the case, said the fee for 30 minutes at the spa was $59 dollars, or $79 for an hour. He said Kraft was driven to the parlor, and he did not specify how much Kraft paid.

A report from TCPalm.com revealed that police also said that women lived at the spas and worked as prostitutes, and they were intimidated and instructed not to talk to authorities.

The Patriots are, of course, no strangers to their own scandals, including the notorious Deflategate . But these charges and their path through the courts will no doubt cast a long shadow over the team's and Kraft's legacy.

Paul Schrodt