Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the world champion New England Patriots, was accused of soliciting prostitution at a day spa as part of an investigation in Florida.
Kraft was one of several men being charged in a probe that spans multiple agencies, according to Jupiter Police Department spokesman O’Neil Anderson. Police, citing video evidence, said Kraft visited an establishment in the city called Orchids of Asia at least two times.
Kraft, 77, also owns the New England Revolution Major League Soccer team and other businesses. He is worth $4.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He owns an apartment in Palm Beach, a local TV station said.
Kraft hasn’t been arrested, according to police spokeswoman Kristin Rightler.
A representative for Kraft denied that the billionaire engaged in any illegal activity, saying they would not comment further “because it is a judicial matter.”
Florida statutes describe a first offense of soliciting a prostitute as a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by as many as 60 days in jail and a fine. But the punishment can increase significantly for repeat offenders.
The allegations have been filed with the State Attorney’s office, police said. Charges against 25 individuals — including Kraft — were announced on Friday, but they’re part of a broader investigation that has seen other charges brought.
“He is being charged with the same offenses as the others, and that is soliciting another to commit prostitution,” Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr said in televised comments.
Kraft is a friend of Donald Trump and frequent visitor to the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort. The Patriots owner was in the area this past weekend, attending a fund-raiser for the Everglades Foundation. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the situation.
The city of Jupiter is about 30 minutes’ drive from Mar-a-Lago.
A lifelong Patriots fan, Kraft had been a season ticket holder for 23 years before he purchased the football team in 1994 for $172 million. The team was successful in his first few years at the helm, but began its modern run in 2000 after hiring head coach Bill Belichick. The team has made the playoffs in 16 of the past 18 years, including nine Super Bowl appearances and six titles. The team is now worth $3.8 billion according to Forbes, second-most in the NFL.
NFL Elite
Along the way, Kraft became one of the league’s most visible and powerful owners, alongside Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys. He is on the league’s finance committee, and its compensation committee, which determines Commissioner Roger Goodell’s pay. He also chairs the media committee, the gatekeepers of the NFL’s billions of dollars in TV contracts.
Outside of the NFL, Kraft serves on the board of Apollo Global Management and is a trustee at Carnegie Hall.
Kraft’s wife, Myra, died in 2011.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.
