Advertisement Kraft charged in Fla. prostitution case; Pats owner 'categorically' denies allegations Share Shares Copy Link Copy

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of dozens and possibly hundreds of men identified in a monthslong investigation of a human trafficking and prostitution ring involving five day spas in Florida.Jupiter police told reporters the 77-year-old billionaire hasn't been arrested on the misdemeanor charges. A statement issued by a Kraft spokesperson categorically denies the allegations."(Kraft) is being charged with the same offenses as the others, and that is soliciting another to commit prostitution," Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder said.Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr said he was shocked to learn Kraft, who is worth $6 billion, was paying for sex inside a strip-mall massage parlor, the Orchids of Asia Day Spa."We are as equally stunned as everyone else," Kerr said.Documents show both that investigators have surveillance evidence at one of the spas that captured sex acts involving 25 different men and that hundreds of men frequented the spas each day. Investigators said at least six victims were forced into graphic, sexual acts and many of them were living in the massage parlors and working almost around the clock."'Does the video contain Mr. Kraft inside receiving the alleged acts?' The answer to that is, 'Yes,'" the lead investigator said.Kraft will be charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution in connection with two trips to the spa last month. A warrant will be issued for his arrest and his attorneys will be notified.A spokesperson for Kraft denied 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," a spokesman for Kraft said in a statement.Kraft's wife Myra Hiatt died in 2011. He has been dating 39-year-old actress Ricki Noel Lander since 2012.The investigation began in October following a tip of suspicious activity. Officers conducted visual surveillance of the Orchids of Asia Day Spa and found that only men frequented the spa, with most of the men staying inside for 30 minutes to an hour.The Florida Department of Health conducted an inspection and told police "it appeared as though the female employees were living there as there were two rooms with beds, including sheets and pillows."Officers said they inspected the trash outside of the spa and found multiple grocery bags containing what appeared to be torn-up spreadsheets with columns listing names of customers, workers and services. The bags also contained napkins covered in what a lab determined to be seminal fluids.Police later stopped some of the men who they said violated traffic laws after leaving the spa. Four of the men gave information about the operations of the business.In mid-January, police obtained a search warrant for video surveillance of the business and said they soon captured the video evidence of sexual acts.Several law enforcement agencies, including four county sheriff's departments and local police departments in Florida, Homeland Security and the IRS are involved in the investigation.