By Staff Writer Ben Pfeffer.
Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft has been accused of soliciting prostitution shortly after his team’s Super Bowl win on February 3. For those of you who are unaware of what exactly “soliciting prostitution” is, according to criminal-law.freeadvice.com, it’s “the request to one person by another to perform a sexual act for a fee.However, an actual solicitation of prostitution charge usually encompasses a wider set of circumstances with harsher penalties and punishments than the basic charge…Solicitation of prostitution does not require a completed act of sexual conduct. The mere agreement or offer to complete a sexual act in exchange for a fee is enough to support a solicitation charge.”
Robert Kraft has allegedly solicited prostitution on two days in January: the 19th and 20th. This would have been the day before and the day of the AFC Championship game, which the Patriots won.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges in state Circuit Court in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Investigators allege Kraft was seen on surveillance video with a spa worker on both days. Jack Goldberger, his attorney, requested a nonjury trial for the billionaire.
The major factor in this case that makes it such a big deal isn’t even the prostitution aspect, it’s the fact that the Spa where this allegedly happened, the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida, has been suspected of human-trafficking.
However, Kraft is not alleged to be involved in human trafficking, and he has denied engaging in illegal activity.
If it were the case that Kraft is involved in this human-trafficking into prostitution, I doubt we would ever see him up in his box at a Patriots game ever again.
The few spa places around where this went down have likely brought over people that thought they were going to get a job, but actually ended up in a prostitution ring against their will.
A spokesperson for Mr. Kraft released a statement on Friday, February 22. That statement read: “We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further.”
Meanwhile, the NFL released a statement on Monday, February 25. That statement read: “We will handle this allegation in the same way we would handle any issue under the policy. We are seeking a full understanding of the facts, while ensuring that we do not interfere with an ongoing law enforcement investigation. We will take appropriate action as warranted based on the facts.”
If convicted of the charges, Kraft will face up to one year in prison as well as a $5,000 fine (which means nothing to a billionaire), 100 hours of community service and mandatory attendance at a class on the dangers of prostitution and human trafficking, according to NBC.
Robert Kraft is scheduled to be arraigned on March 27th.
If he is found guilty of soliciting prostitution, however, he will absolutely deserve all the punishment he gets from both a legal standpoint and from the NFL.
As a Patriots fan, I would like to see Robert Kraft walk free.
However, I don’t think too many fans will be upset if he serves his legal time for the small crime he has committed.
If it turns out that Robert Kraft has solicited prostitution and participated in the human-trafficking of the poor girls that have no choice but to accept money for sexual acts, no fans should be upset if he never leaves prison and has to sell the Patriots.
At the moment, it appears likely that Orchids of Asia very well might be engaged in sex trafficking, but that Robert Kraft had no hand in such actions, simply wanting an average prostitute.
But as I said, I would like to see Robert Kraft walk free, so he has the ability to be there when we win our next Super Bowl.