Even with the NFL season over, the Super Bowl LIII champion New England Patriots are still making headlines.
A spokesperson for the 77-year-old billionaire denied that Kraft had participated in any “illegal activity” after the allegations surfaced.
“We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity,” a representative for Kraft said in a statement provided to PEOPLE. “Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further.”
The decision whether to proceed with the prosecution of Kraft and the other individuals rests with the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office. If pursued, the solicitation charge would be a second-degree misdemeanor for a first offense, with a jail term of up 60 days; a second offense is first-degree misdemeanor, with a penalty of up to one year in prison according to Florida statutes.
Kraft has been seen partying at sports events and hanging with rappers since the Patriots trounced the Los Angeles Rams for the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 3, adding to his reputation as one of the most famous owners in sports.
Here are the top things to know about the billionaire businessman.
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1. Kraft Is Worth $4.36 Billion
“Think big. Make it a wildly improbable dream that motivates you, one that wakes you up in the morning ready to attack your day, to persevere and persist until you accomplish it,” Kraft told students at Yeshiva Universityin a 2016 commencement speech. “Dream a big dream, a bold dream. Don’t play conservatively between the 40-yard lines. Don’t just play it safe.”
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2. He Bought the Patriots in 1994 and Made It the NFL’s Premiere Team
Kraft isn’t only a football fan, but he also used to carry the pigskin when he was a running back and safety at Columbia University. Kraft has reportedly been aPatriots season ticket holder since1971, and owned a race track right next to the team’s stadium. As the Patriots’ former owner, Billy Sullivan, started experiencing financial trouble from bad investments — famously including an investment in The Jackson Five’s “Victory Tour” in 1984 — Kraft set himself up to buy the stadium in 1988 for $22 million, according toForbes.
When ownership of the team changed hands from Sullivan to another buyer, Kraft waited for his chance to outright purchase the team for $172 million in 1994 as the new owner grew tired of keeping the team in New England. Kraft reportedly still keeps a “Victory Tour” poster to remind him of the steps it took for him to finally own his favorite team. Under his stewardship, the Patriots have won six NFL championships under coach Bill Belichick and famed-quarterbackTom Brady.
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3. His Wife of 50 Years Died of Cancer
Kraft met Myra Hiattat a delicatessen in Boston back in 1962.The two married and had four sons throughout their decades-long union. Myra died of ovarian cancer at age 68 in July 2011. Throughout the following season, the Patriots wore Myra’s initials “MHK” on their uniforms.
Kraft started dating actressRicki Lander, 39, a year later.
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Kraft has been mum over the years about his relationship with Lander, and has referred to her as his “pal” on several occasions.
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5. He Is Close Friends with President Trump
Though he is a lifelong Democrat andeven donated to both of Barack Obama’s two presidential campaigns, Kraft has defended President Donald Trump and remains close friends with the controversial political figure. Kraft opened up about their friendship in aNew York Daily Newsinterview in 2017, recalling Trump’s kindness in the weeks after his wife passed.
“When Myra died, Melania and Donald came up to the funeral in our synagogue, then they came for memorial week to visit with me,” Kraft said. “Then he called me once a week for the whole year, the most depressing year of my life when I was down and out. He called me every week to see how I was doing, invited me to things, tried to lift my spirits. He was one of five or six people that were like that. I remember that.”
Kraft gifted President Trump his own Super Bowl ring with his name engraved on it when the Patriots won the NFL championship in 2017.
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6. He Once Gave Tom Brady a MAGA Hat — Which Put the QB in Hot Water
Kraft and Trump have long been friendly before the latter ran for president, so whenThe Apprenticehost started his campaign, he sent his pal one of his infamous red Make American Great Again hats. When Brady was seen with one of the caps in his locker in 2015, he later explained toWEEIthat Trump sent it to Kraft, who then gave it to him.
“[Trump] sent it to me via R.K.K.,” Brady said, referring to Kraft. “He always gives me a call and different types of motivational speeches at different times. So now that he’s running for president, he sent me a hat, and he gave it to R.K.K. a couple weeks ago. So it found its way to my locker.”
Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Rubin, Robert Kraft and Kevin Hart at a Super Bowl party in February 2019.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
7. He Is Good Friends With Rapper Meek Mill and Parties With Celebrities
Kraft also wasn’t shy about dancing on stage withCardi Bat a Super Bowl LIII party in Atlanta, as seen in the video above.
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8. Vladimir Putin Reportedly Has One of Kraft’s Super Bowl Rings
“[The Super Bowl rings] are all in a drawer except for my third one,” Kraft told reporters in response to the story. “The original is in Russia with the president of the country. I happened to be there on a business mission with my friend Sandy Weill. We had just given out our rings. I showed Sandy my ring, and he said, ‘Why don’t you show it to the president?’ And I showed it to him and he put it on, and he sort of just enjoyed it, so he kept it on.”
According to a 2013CNN report, Kraft’s storied ring was put on display at the Kremlin’s library.
source: people.com
