According to Florida police, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Kraft was named as a John following an eight-month investigation by a number of law enforcement agencies into prostitution and sexual trafficking operations being run out of Florida day spas.
The NFL owner, 77, is accused of paying for sexual services at Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, one of 10 locations shut down following the sting operation.
Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr confirmed Kraft is one of 25 men being charged with soliciting another to commit prostitution. According to Kerr, there is video evidence of all of the men being charged. The charge is a misdemeanor but Kraft will likely have to appear in court.
List of those involved in sex trafficking operation out of Jupiter. https://t.co/pR2XN2BtkZ @WPTV @WPTVContact5 pic.twitter.com/tZg9HiXM9p
— Merris Badcock (@MerrisBadcock) February 22, 2019
Asked if he was surprised about the arrest of Kraft, Chief Kerr said, “We’re as deeply stunned as anyone else.”
A spokesperson for Kraft told TMZ Sports the billionaire NFL owner denies the allegations. “We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further,” the spokesperson said.
Police say Kraft solicited a prostitute on at least two separate occasions at the Orchids of Asia spa within the last month and that the average cost per visit for services was $59 or $79 per hour.
The agencies involved in the investigation include Homeland Security, the IRS, the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, and the Jupiter Police Department.
The investigation revealed the women working at the spas in question were in “sexual servitude,” according to arrest records.
“The charge comes amid a widespread crackdown on sex trafficking in the area surrounding Palm Beach County,” according to The Associated Press. “About 200 arrest warrants have been issued in recent days and more are expected. Police said they secretly planted undercover cameras in targeted massage parlors and videotaped the interactions between men and the female employees.”
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