Adam Schefter looks at the possible punishment Patriots owner Robert Kraft could face after being accused of misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution. (1:47) New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is facing charges of misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution after he was twice videotaped paying for a sex act at an illicit massage parlor, police in Florida said Friday. The 77-year-old Kraft was one of 25 people involved in the alleged solicitation at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida. Michael Edmondson, spokesman for the state attorney's office in Palm Beach County, told ESPN that the nature of any charges that the 25 people face will not be released until next week. The potential charges come amid a widespread crackdown on sex trafficking in Florida from Palm Beach to Orlando. Hundreds of arrest warrants have been issued in recent days as result of a six-month investigation, and more are expected. Ten spas have been closed, and several people charged with sex trafficking have been taken into custody. Police said they secretly planted undercover cameras in targeted massage parlors and recorded the interactions between men and the female employees. In a statement, a spokesperson for Kraft said they "categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further." The NFL said it is "aware of the ongoing law enforcement matter and will continue to monitor developments." The individuals named as having solicited prostitutes could be facing either a first- or second-degree misdemeanor for each count. A second-degree charge carries up to a 60-day jail sentence and a $500 fine; a first-degree charge carries up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Most people charged for the first time with soliciting a prostitute in Florida are allowed to enter a diversion program, said attorney David Weinstein, a former prosecutor. Kraft would have to perform 100 hours of community service and pay to attend an educational program about the negative effects of prostitution and human trafficking. Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr said he was shocked to learn Kraft, who is worth $6 billion, was allegedly paying for sex inside a strip-mall massage parlor. Owners In Trouble With Law The Patriots' Robert Kraft, who is facing misdemeanor charges of solicitation of a prostitute in Florida, isn't the first owner of a professional sports franchise to be in trouble with the law. A look at some notable others: Jerry Richardson, Panthers: He sold the NFL team last year after allegations surfaced of sexual and racial misconduct in the workplace. Following a six-month investigation by the NFL, he was fined $2.7 million. Jimmy Haslam, Browns: He had legal troubles while CEO of Pilot Flying J, one of the nation's largest truck-stop chains. Company executives either pleaded guilty or were convicted in a fraud scheme worth more than $50 million. Haslam said he didn't know about the scheme in which customers were underpaid on promised rebates for fuel purchases, and he was not charged. The NFL never disciplined him. Jim Irsay, Colts: He was arrested in 2014 and held overnight after he failed sobriety tests and police found prescription medications in his car. He was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, along with four felony counts of possession of a controlled substance; police also found $29,009 in cash. He again sought treatment and in September 2014 pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated, agreeing to undergo drug testing for a year. Irsay also admitted he was under the influence of the painkillers oxycodone and hydrocodone when he was arrested. The NFL suspended Irsay for six games and fined him $500,000. Ed DeBartolo Jr., 49ers: In 1998, he pleaded guilty to failing to report a felony when he paid $400,000 to former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards in exchange for a riverboat gambling license. DeBartolo was suspended from the NFL for one year in 1999 for his role in the gambling fraud scandal. He also handed over control of the team to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York, and never returned to the 49ers. Leonard Tose, Eagles: He had to sell the team in 1985 to pay off more than $25 million in debts to Atlantic City casinos. Marge Schott, Reds: She was sued by former employees during the days of the Big Red Machine for being a racist and, at one point, was quoted in The New York Times as saying Adolf Hitler initially was good for Germany, that her use of racially inappropriate words was in jest and that she didn't understand why certain ethnically insulting words were offensive. In 1993, Schott was suspended for one year by MLB and fined $25,000 for "racially and ethnically offensive" language. Donald Sterling, Clippers: He was fined $2.5 million and banned from the NBA for life in 2014 for racist comments he made to a friend. Rigas family, Sabres: It was forced to relinquish control of the team after indictments on bank and security fraud charges for raiding the coffers of its cable company, Adelphia. The Sabres played the 2003-04 season under NHL operation before being purchased out of bankruptcy by Thomas Golisano. Brian France, NASCAR: He was arrested in New York last year on charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He immediately took a leave of absence, and his uncle, Jim France, stepped in as chairman and CEO. George Steinbrenner, Yankees: A 15-count indictment was handed up in 1974 in Cleveland federal court for violations of election laws. Steinbrenner pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make illegal campaign contributions then was suspended by commissioner Bowie Kuhn for two years. That suspension was lifted after 15 months for good behavior. -- The Associated Press "We are as equally stunned as everyone else," Kerr said. Kraft lives in Massachusetts and has a home in the Palm Beach area. He is a frequent guest of President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Club. Though a Democrat, Kraft is friendly with Trump. "Well it's very sad. I was very surprised to see it," Trump said at the White House on Friday.<doc-sep>Ricki Lander is getting some viral attention as pictures of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft are spreading across the internet in the wake of his charges for allegedly soliciting a prostitute. Kraft was charged on Friday with solicitation of a prostitute in Jupiter, Florida. These charges come as part of a massive sting pertaining to an alleged human trafficking operation at a series of massage parlors there. As ESPN reported, the Patriots owner had not yet been arrested on the misdemeanor charge, and has maintained his innocence. The charges have shined attention on Kraft and his girlfriend, 39-year-old Ricki Lander. The two have been together for more than six years, though it was not clear how serious the relationship might be. Ricki Lander did have some fame before her relationship with Robert Kraft, appearing in television shows such as Ugly Betty, True Blood, and Blue Bloods. As pictures of Lander gained viral attention, many wondered what could have brought the couple together. Lander and Kraft had already drawn considerable attention for their 40-year age difference, with The Daily Mail noting that the two started dating sometime around 2012 -- following the death of Kraft's wife, Myra. The report noted that Robert Kraft was despondent over the death of his wife and threw himself into his work, often working seven days a week. Sources said that the relationship with Ricki Lander helped Kraft to get over his loss. Ricki Noel Lander isn't his GF any more? pic.twitter.com/YmAybgW95S — MorinMoss (@MorinMoss) February 22, 2019 A look inside the life of 76-year-old Robert Kraft and his much younger girlfriend, Ricki Noel Lander https://t.co/yViHmEzyJc — Business Insider (@BusinessInsider) February 22, 2019 The relationship was a non-traditional one, with Lander welcoming a child during the relationship -- though not by her boyfriend. Lander shared a picture of her daughter, Monarch, on Instagram , and a spokesperson for Robert Kraft later announced the news to People magazine. "Last fall, Ricki Noel Lander became the proud mother of a beautiful, healthy baby. While Robert Kraft is not the biological father, he is thrilled with Ricki's blessing of having a healthy child," the statement read. "With respect to her family's privacy, we will not be commenting any further." Robert Kraft is unlikely to face jail time for the charges, but could still face separate discipline from the NFL. The league's personal conduct policy gives wide leeway to Commissioner Robert Goodell to dole out punishment, and both players and owners who have gotten into trouble with the law have found themselves facing suspensions and fines. While Robert Kraft has issued a statement denying any wrongdoing after his arrest, Ricki Lander has not made any kind of statement.<doc-sep>Robert Kraft, owner of the NFL’s Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, is facing charges of soliciting prostitution, swept up in what police described as a multicity investigation into human trafficking in the South Florida spa business. Mr. Kraft, who has a home in Palm Beach, Fla., and is among the NFL’s most influential team owners, faces two misdemeanor counts. Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr said Mr. Kraft, 77 years old, was one of 25 people being charged with solicitation in Jupiter. In recent days, others have been charged in nearby cities as part of the operation. Other police officials have described the operation as a crackdown focused on spas where workers were forced to work in poor conditions and sometimes not allowed to leave the premises. The list of spa customers released by Jupiter police also included a man named John P. Havens, who has the same name and birthday as a senior Wall Street banker who was president at Citigroup Inc. in 2011 and 2012 and later became chairman of hedge fund Napier Park Global Capital. Records show that the former Citigroup president owns a property about 10 miles north of the Jupiter day spa. The former Citigroup president couldn’t be reached for comment. Chief Kerr said police had been collecting video evidence of individuals entering and leaving Orchids of Asia Day Spa, where acts of prostitution allegedly occurred. Two people who run the spa were also arrested earlier this week. “We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity,” a spokesman for the Patriots owner said. “Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further.” Mr. Kraft bought the Patriots in 1994 after amassing wealth as the chairman and chief executive officer of the Kraft Group, LLC, a privately held business that includes manufacturing, real estate and sports assets. Detective Andrew Sharp said there was video evidence of the alleged acts for all those charged, including Mr. Kraft. Police had set up hidden cameras inside the spa parlor rooms, and the video shows Mr. Kraft allegedly engaging in the illegal acts. Detective Sharp said Mr. Kraft was driven to the spa for his visits. Chief Kerr said authorities documented Mr. Kraft visiting the spa on two different visits. Chief Kerr said much of the evidence came directly from the business and includes surveillance police had been conducting over the last several months. Detective Sharp said he couldn’t speak to Mr, Kraft specifically, but said the typical rate for services at the spa was $59 for 30 minutes and $79 for an hour. “We’re as equally stunned as everybody else,” Chief Kerr said of Mr. Kraft’s involvement. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is facing charges of soliciting prostitution. Photo: Rich Graessle/Zuma Press The charges against Mr. Kraft in Jupiter come as part a crackdown on prostitution and sex trafficking in the area. More than 100 arrest warrants have been issued in recent days in the area. The multi-agency investigation accused two women of running the operation that included at least five spas, including Orchids of Asia Day Spa. Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said earlier in the week the investigation began after a complaint from the health department last July regarding what appeared to be signs of human trafficking. The women, who were from China, were working and living in the parlors, Sheriff Snyder said, and had no access to transportation and moved from location to location while averaging eight clients per day. He added police were in the process of seizing $2 million to $3 million in assets. “The tentacles of this go from here from New York to China,” Sheriff Snyder said. He added police have brought in Mandarin interpreters to speak with women who worked at the spas and that they are being treated as victims. “It was graphic sexual activity, very risky behavior,” he said. Mr. Kraft’s Patriots won the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams on Feb. 3. Since he bought the team, the Patriots have been the most successful team in the NFL with six Super Bowl titles, led by quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick. Mr. Kraft transformed New England into one of the most successful franchises in all of sports with one bold move that changed everything. That’s when the Patriots hired Mr. Belichick in a stunning and controversial move because Mr. Belichick had just been hired as coach of the New York Jets. New England was forced to give its rivals a first-round pick for Mr. Belichick, but it proved worth it as he quickly transformed the team into an unrivaled dynasty in modern football, with a first Super Bowl title coming in 2002, Mr. Brady’s first season as the starting quarterback. The Orchids of Asia Day Spa. Acts of prostitution allegedly occurred at the Jupiter, Fla., spa. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Off the field, Mr. Kraft has been heavily involved in the strategies and television deals that have made the league the richest American sport. He also owns Gillette Stadium, which opened in 2002, and Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution. Mr. Kraft’s longtime wife, Myra, died in 2011 and since then he has dated Ricki Noel Lander, an actress. Mr. Kraft has been a figure in the south Florida social scene. After the Patriots won the Super Bowl in February 2017, Mr. Kraft dined with President Trump and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Kraft Group donated $1 million to Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee. He has taken on a higher public profile in recent years. He visited rapper Meek Mill when he was in prison and used that as a launching pad to call for criminal justice reform. He rubbed elbows with executives and basketball stars at last week’s NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte, N.C., where he was sitting courtside in a flashy chain necklace. In January, Mr. Kraft was named the 2019 Genesis Prize Laureate, a prestigious award in the Jewish community, for his philanthropy fighting anti-Semitism. His $1 million award was to be given to initiatives that combat anti-Semitism and efforts to delegitimize Israel.<doc-sep>The case involving Mr. Kraft is more complicated. He has been charged with two misdemeanors, not felonies, and those charges may be reduced or dropped. But Mr. Goodell has long portrayed himself as the defender of the league’s reputation, and he has penalized players and owners for a host of offenses, some of which might have been little noticed years earlier. Mr. Kraft is accused of patronizing a spa in Jupiter called Orchids of Asia, a small storefront business in a strip mall that also includes a nail salon, a surf shop and a Thai restaurant. The police said Mr. Kraft had visited twice, dropped off by a driver. The mall, anchored on one end by an Outback Steakhouse, is near lushly landscaped gated communities, a half-dozen golf courses and the spring training home of the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals. All of the sexual encounters that have resulted in charges were videotaped as part of the prostitution investigation, the police said. Investigators, who have been conducting surveillance of massage parlors in the area for six months, charged “nearly 200” people, though only a fraction have been arrested so far. For years, Mr. Kraft has been considered a kind of first among equals in the ranks of the 32 N.F.L. owners. He has led the league’s powerful broadcast and finance committees and has often touted his status as a confidant to Mr. Goodell. Within owner and executive circles, he is known as “the assistant commissioner,” with no small hint of resentment. Mr. Kraft had fashioned himself as a kind of ordinary Patriots fan who in the 1970s sat with his sons in the frigid bleachers of Section 217 of what was originally called Schaefer Stadium. He made his fortune in the paper and packaging business and purchased the land adjacent to the stadium complex in the 1980s, and eventually bought the stadium itself. That positioned Mr. Kraft to buy the Patriots in 1994 after James Orthwein put the team up for sale. Other bidders included Stan Kroenke, the current owner of the Los Angeles Rams, and Mr. Trump, at the time a businessman and the former owner of the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League.<doc-sep>
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter JUPITER (CBSMiami) — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is charged with two counts of soliciting someone to commit prostitution in Palm Beach County, and police say they have videotape of him paying for the sex acts inside an illicit massage parlor. The charges stem from a months long investigation into the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, where two women were arrested earlier this week, according to police. The women have been identified as Lei Wang, 40, and Hua Zhang, 59. They are charged with deriving support from prostitution, maintaining a house for prostitution, and offering to commit prostitution. The incidents are part of a larger crackdown on human trafficking and prostitution at several spas in the West Palm Beach area, Martin County and Orange County. “We’re as equally stunned as anyone else,” said Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr during a Friday morning news conference in reference to Kraft. Police also confirmed they have video evidence allegedly capturing the sex acts. Police said they secretly planted undercover cameras in targeted massage parlors and recorded the interactions between men and the female employees. WATCH ENTIRE JUPITER POLICE NEWS CONFERENCE HERE: Kraft’s name is on a list of 25 people who will face charges in connection to the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. In a statement, a spokesperson for Kraft said they “categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further.” According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Robert Kraft is not the biggest name involved in the incident. “I’m also told that Robert Kraft is not the biggest name involved down there in South Florida,” Schefter said. KRAFT ACCUSED OF JOINING LIST OF MISBEHAVING OWNERS: Police say Kraft was driven to the spa by a chauffeur. The average cost per visit for services is $59 or $79 per hour, according to police. Once the arrest warrant is issued, Kraft will get a summons in the mail ordering him to turn himself in. He is not expected to be arrested. Kraft’s lawyers will likely contact the county attorney and make arrangements for Kraft to come to court in Florida and turn himself in, according to WBZ-TV, our sister station in Boston. Kraft, who has a home on Palm Beach, could face up to a year in jail, probation or fines. He could also face discipline from the NFL under the league’s personal conduct policy. REPORT FROM MASSACHUSETTS: The NFL did not immediately respond to a message Friday seeking comment. 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 when violations of Personal Conduct Policy occur,” the policy says. Kraft, 77, has owned the Patriots for 25 years. The Patriots have won six Super Bowls during that time, most recently Super Bowl LIII earlier this month in Atlanta. Kraft also is CEO of The Kraft Group, a holding company of numerous family businesses including Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution, as well as International Forest Products. Kraft lives in Massachusetts and has a home in the Palm Beach area. He is a frequent guest of President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club. He has four sons. His wife Myra died in 2011. He has been dating 39-year-old actress Ricki Noel Lander since 2012. The Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, which would prosecute the case, had no comment.