New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's arrest warrant 'imminent' in prostitution and sex trafficking bust

The 77-year-old bilionaire has been charged over two incidents for which Florida police say they have video evidence

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, is to be issued with an arrest warrant imminently on charges pertaining to a sex trafficking and prostitution ring in Florida.

Mr Kraft, 77, was charged by police in Jupiter, south Florida after a sting operation focusing on the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. Police revealed on Friday that there is video evidence of around 100 men who are being charged, with Kraft charged for two separate visits to the spa.

A report over the weekend claimed that Kraft, who is worth an estimated $6.6bn, is ‘not the biggest name’ implicated in the ring, which police allege saw a criminal organisation traffic women into the United States on the promise of legitimate jobs only to force them into sex work.

And ESPN’s Michele Steele has now reported that “an arrest warrant for Patriots owner Robert Kraft is imminent” with the state attorney in Palm Beach making the formal charging decision.

Jupiter police filed two charges of soliciting prostitution against Kraft with the state attorney’s office, who now must decide whether to keep both charges.

The arrest could also get Kraft in trouble with the NFL, which in a statement said only that it is “aware of the ongoing law enforcement matter and will continue to monitor developments.”

Under league policy, players, owners, coaches and other employees can be punished for “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the NFL.

“Ownership and club or league management have traditionally been held to a higher standard and will be subject to more significant discipline,” the policy says.

The Patriots won the Super Bowl this month over the Los Angeles Rams for their sixth NFL championship in the past 18 seasons, making them the most successful team in pro sports during that span. Before the Super Bowl, several retired NFL players appeared in a public service announcement decrying sexual exploitation and human trafficking in Atlanta, the host city.

Kraft lives in Massachusetts and has a home in the Palm Beach area. Though he is a Democrat, he is friendly with President Donald Trump and a frequent guest at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. Kraft’s wife, Myra Hiatt Kraft, died in 2011. He has been dating 39-year-old actress Ricki Noel Lander since 2012.

New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick (L) and team owner Robert Kraft (R) present a football helmet to U.S. President Donald Trump (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“Well it’s very sad. I was very surprised to see it. He’s proclaimed his innocence, totally,” Trump said at the White House on Friday.

In a statement, Kraft’s representatives said they “categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity.”

The spa Kraft allegedly visited is in a busy, upper-middle-class shopping center with neighbors that include a dentist, a real estate office, surf and bike shops and a Publix supermarket.

After hearing about the arrest, Brian Rubino, a Patriot fan who lives nearby, went by the spa wearing a team jersey. He said Kraft made a mistake, but he could see how it might happen.

“A 77-year-old man, lost his wife, who knows? I see how you can end up in a place like this,” Rubino said.

Vero Beach police Chief David Currey, whose agency has been involved in the sex-trafficking investigation, told reporters earlier this week that the prostitutes are victims who have been trapped into the trade.

“These girls are there all day long, into the evening. They can’t leave and they are performing sex acts,” Currey said, according to TCPalm. “Some of them may tell us they’re OK, but they’re not.”

The owner of Orchids of Asia Day Spa, 58-year-old Hua Zhang, was arrested Tuesday on 29 prostitution and related charges. Police in her arrest report said they watched video of her employees performing various sex acts with two dozen customers. Her attorney, Gennaro Cariglio Jr., had no comment.

A statement by the NFL said: “Our Personal Conduct Policy applies equally to everyone in the NFL. 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.”

Additional reporting by agencies