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Big news dropped on Friday that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is being charged with two misdemeanor counts of soliciting a prostitute, and there is a warrant out for his arrest.
Kraft was one of 25 people charged in the case. The rate was $59 for a half hour inside the massage parlor and $79 for an hour.
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) February 22, 2019
Kraft is estimated to be worth $6.6 Billion. @CBSMiami
The charges come as a result of an eight month investigation, initially triggered by a complaint filed with the Health Department in July 2018, according to WPTV. They note that this is just the beginning of a multi-agency investigation that targeted five day spas and spans coast to coast.
“I think it’s very safe to say without any hyperbole that this is the tip of the iceberg,” Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said in a press conference on Friday. The Sheriff also noted that about 100 men would be arrested in connection with the case.
Video: Police in Jupiter, Florida announce the charges against @Patriots owner Robert Kraft of soliciting prostitution as part of a wider human trafficking sting operation pic.twitter.com/lGPREB4zOu
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 22, 2019
It’s being reported that the billionaire had his chauffeur drop him off at the day spa and that there’s video evidence of him inside the establishment. Kraft, through his representatives, is denying involvement in any illegal activity.
BREAKING / NBC News: A spokesperson for Robert Kraft has released the following statement:
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) February 22, 2019
"We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further.”
Just weeks removed from his franchise winning yet another Super Bowl, Kraft will now potentially be looking at legal discipline. He’s also subject to NFL discipline via the league’s personal conduct policy.
And while the Twitter timeline is filled with jokes at the owner’s expense, the situation is related to a much more serious human-trafficking problem that is not at all funny.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft being charged with soliciting prostitution related to what FL police say is a massage parlor where women - who were told they were coming to US for legit jobs - were in fact held as virtual prisoners/sex workers.
— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) February 22, 2019