NFL Super Bowl champion team owner Robert Kraft charged with soliciting prostitute: police

FILE PHOTO: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft speaks at a press conference in advance of Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., January 30, 2019. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

(Reuters) – Robert Kraft, the owner of the NFL Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, was charged with two counts of soliciting a prostitute in Jupiter, Florida, police said at a news conference on Friday.

Kraft, 77, is among more than two dozen people charged as part of a police sting, according to police.

Since Kraft bought the Patriots 25 years ago, the team has become the most successful franchise in the National Football League, appearing in 10 Super Bowls and winning six titles, including Super Bowl LIII earlier this month.

Spokesmen for the National Football League and the Patriots did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Kraft’s influence in the football world has grown steadily since he purchased the Patriots, to the point that he is widely considered one of the NFL’s most powerful and influential owners.

Before this month’s Super Bowl, U.S. President Donald Trump said on “Face the Nation” that he would be backing his good friend and long time supporter Kraft to win.

(This version of the story removes extraneous tag from headline)

Reporting by Joseph Ax; editing by Grant McCool

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source: reuters.com