Robert Kraft, owner of the league-dominating New England Patriots franchise, has finally broken his silence over the massage parlor sex scandal that ensnared him and around 300 other men.
Kraft, 77, is accused of twice soliciting sex from prostitutes at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa, accusations his representatives have denied for weeks. But on Saturday, Kraft reversed course and issued an apology, promising to be better.
“In deference to the judicial process, I have remained silent these past several weeks,” Kraft said in statement reported by CBS Boston Saturday. “I am truly sorry. I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard.”
The famous owner then stressed that he has “extraordinary respect” for women.
“Throughout my life, I have always tried to do the right thing,” he said. “The last thing I would ever want to do is disrespect another human being. I have extraordinary respect for women; my morals and my soul were shaped by the most wonderful woman, the love of my life, who I was blessed to have as my partner for 50 years.”
Kraft concluded by vowing to prove to the public that he is a man who deserves their “confidence and respect.”
“As I move forward, I hope to continue to use the platform with which I have been blessed to help others and to try to make a difference,” he said. “I expect to be judged not by my words, but by my actions. And through those actions, I hope to regain your confidence and respect.”
After being charged with soliciting sex from prostitutes at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa on two occasions (the day before and of the AFC Championship game, Jan. 19 and Jan. 20) — accusations for which authorities in Jupiter, Florida say they have video evidence — Kraft’s attorneys have turned down a plea deal, CBS reports. Kraft notably does not specifically cite the charges in his statement, though the context is clear.
Soon after the initial story of the scandal broke, Kraft’s attorneys issued a statement denying the accusations. “We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further,” they said in a statement.
“The charges against Kraft grew out of sweeping investigation that has resulted in charges against about 300 men and forced the closure of dozen massage parlors in three Florida counties,” Fox News notes.
Response to the apology online has been mixed, though more appear to be unimpressed with Kraft owning up to his actions (indirectly). Deadspin responded with overt skepticism: “Everyone fell for Robert Kraft’s ‘apology.'”
Others responded with a bit more humor: “No one fell for it. We just don’t want to see the video….ever.”
“So Kraft doesn’t accept initial plea deal[.] Tells his lawyer to publicly insult the prosecution. Prosecution tells Kraft they’re releasing the tapes. Kraft issues apology,” wrote one Philadelphia Eagles fan. “That about right?”
“Does this fall under, locker room antics for rich old white guys?” asked one twitterer.
Some weren’t buying the “respect for women” line: “He really said ‘I have extraordinary respect for women,'” one person tweeted. “Gross. If this is what extraordinary respect for women looks like, we’re way worse off than I thought,” added another.
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Full text of Kraft’s statement below:
In deference to the judicial process, I have remained silent these past several weeks. To correct some of the misinformation surrounding this matter, my attorney made his first public comments on Friday night. I would like to use this opportunity to say something that I have wanted to say for four weeks.
I am truly sorry. I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard.
Throughout my life, I have always tried to do the right thing. The last thing I would ever want to do is disrespect another human being. I have extraordinary respect for women; my morals and my soul were shaped by the most wonderful woman, the love of my life, who I was blessed to have as my partner for 50 years.
As I move forward, I hope to continue to use the platform with which I have been blessed to help others and to try to make a difference. I expect to be judged not by my words, but by my actions. And through those actions, I hope to regain your confidence and respect.