New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, 77, has been offered to have charges of prostitution solicitation dropped by prosecutors if he, in part, agrees to admit that he would be found guilty if such charges were to be brought to trial, sources told The Wall Street Journal on Monday.
In February, Kraft was charged with soliciting prostitution at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida. As noted by The Daily Wire, local authorities claim there is “inculpatory video evidence” concerning Kraft.
Other men entangled in the prostitution scandal have been offered the same type of deal as the billionaire NFL team owner, the report said.
“The proposed deferred prosecution agreement calls for completion of an education course about prostitution, completion of 100 hours of community service, screening for sexually transmitted diseases and payment of some court costs,” reported the Journal.
The “unusual provision” of the agreement would be for “defendants to review the evidence in the case and agree that, if it were to go to trial, the state would be able to prove their guilt,” a source said.
The Journal noted that a spokesman for the state attorney’s office told the outlet “that it is the standard resolution for first-time offenders, or they go to trial.”
It remains unclear if Kraft will take the deal.
In the wake of the bust hitting the news, a spokesperson “categorically denied” any wrongdoing on the part of Kraft.
“We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further,” read the statement.
Kraft pleaded not guilty to both counts of soliciting prostitution, which were allegedly captured on surveillance video. WPTV reports:
Jupiter police reports indicate Kraft visited the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter on Jan. 19 and 20. On the 19th, the transaction lasted approximately forty minutes and on the 20th, about 14 minutes.
In both instances, video surveillance captured a woman performing a sex act on Kraft and shows him paying in cash.
The alleged findings concerning Kraft were part of a larger police investigation, which spanned numerous spas throughout the area. According to Fox News, the Orchids of Asia Day Spa was “shut down after a months-long investigation revealed women were participating in ‘sexual servitude,’ TC Palm reported, citing arrest records. Nine other spas in Orlando, Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast had also been shut down as part of the investigation.”
Police authorities and prosecutors have talked about the case in terms of “human trafficking.” For example, when Palm Beach County state attorney Dave Aronberg announced the charges, he said human trafficking is an “evil in our midst” and noted that none of the men were charged with such a serious crime, “but that could change.”
Former federal prosecutor Duncan Levin said “police are making this case that this is a major human trafficking ring, and that’s why it’s so serious.”
“The fact that they had cameras installed in the locations for so long somewhat undermines the claim that there was an extraordinary danger to the people working in the establishment,” he added.
More than two dozen men, including Kraft, were charged with sex solicitation in the Jupiter sting.