A month ago, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with two counts of solicitation. Kraft got caught in a sting operation with 200 other “johns” who frequented a strip mall spa called Orchids of Asia. The spa was a front for trafficked sex slaves being forced to perform sex acts on billionaires and millionaires who got off on human misery and a tacky strip mall locale. Personally, I thought at the time that Kraft’s arrest was just the tip of the iceberg, especially given what we know now about Donald Trump’s close friendship with the former owner of Orchids of Asia. I also thought that the likelihood of everything being hushed up quickly was pretty high. Even the charges against Kraft for solicitation were just misdemeanors, because I guess no one really gave much thought to the trafficked women. Well, guess what? Kraft might get to walk away with a pretty easy deal:
According to the Wall Street Journal, Florida prosecutors have offered to drop charges against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, with a condition. The proposed agreement calls for Kraft and the other men charged with soliciting prostitution to admit they would have been proven guilty at trial, the WSJ reported Tuesday, citing a “a person familiar with the matter.”
In addition, the agreement also calls for the men to complete an educational course on prostitution, perform 1,000 hours of community service, take a screening for sexually transmitted diseases and pay for some court costs, per the WSJ. The WSJ characterized the deal as “unusual,” noting that legal experts have questions about how Florida police originally obtained search warrants which resulted in Kraft being charged with two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution.
After Kraft hired a high-powered legal team, some are wondering if the charges against Kraft may not hold. The Patriots owner has an arraignment set for March 28. It remains to be seen whether or not Kraft will accept the deal, or continue his legal fight. Regardless, the potential discipline the NFL may impose is a separate matter.
“Legal experts have questions about how Florida police originally obtained search warrants…” During the police press conference, they made it sound like it had been a lengthy undercover sting operation involving valid warrants and video evidence, and it seems like they had all of the evidence they needed. But sure, Kraft hired a “high-powered legal team,” and part of that legal team’s task is to question police methods in public and muddy the waters to the point where we are no longer thinking about his crimes. I imagine Orchids of Asia was extremely popular with a certain set down there near Mar-a-Lago. And I imagine many of those powerful men have well-connected friends who are doing the most to get this to go away. Ugh. ‘Murica.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Disgusting. Is there an investigation into human trafficking or has that been covered up too?
It is not a cover up, they rushed to get a solid ID on him and in the process gave him cause to get it dismissed.
There was no human trafficking. Just prostitution. Cops and prosecution like to call ordinary prostitution “human trafficking” to put additional pressure on the suspects.
It is human trafficking because the women were immigrants who thought they were going to the US to do other jobs. Once here, their passports were taken away. Having a passport confiscated means they were victims of human trafficking.
It’s human trafficking because the women were forced into prostitution after being smuggled into the country
To the troll making noise: there was human trafficking!
Florida sucks and I live here. Must be nice to be rich, you only get a slap in the hand and off you go and forget about the victims because they can’t buy justice. The system is a joke
The system is a joke everywhere. Rich people can do whatever the hell they want with little to no consequences.
In the words of someone I can’t be bothered to Google, it’s a legal system, not a justice system.
sounds about white.
I’m a criminal defense lawyer in IL and have represented lots of johns. Deferred prosecution, doing community service and education for a complete dismissal is a very typical outcome for the misdemeanor offense of solicitation of a prostitute, assuming the guy has no other criminal background. I bet that’s just the prosecutor’s standard offer for that kind of case.
Of course they did. Like we expect rich people to be responsible for their actions or something….cheat your way into college, get you happy ending from potential human trafficking ring…it’s all good. **end Sarcasm**
Unusual? Does the WSJ not have court reporters? Because if they did, they would not label this “unusual.” It is pretty standard.
This has been driving me crazy. A deferred adjudication, or diversion, offer for low-level charges for defendants with no criminal history is the norm!
I don’t do criminal law, but I see this ALL the time in my labor law practice. Employees with no prior record get arrested for low level crimes and are allowed to admit sufficient facts and get the case continued without a finding. If they get arrested during the continuance, it revives the case and ends the deal but most don’t. It isn’t privilege at all, it’s common practice because our court system and prisons can’t handle getting clogged up with these cases. The problem is where ridiculous mandatory minimums exist for things like pot possession and people end up doing serious time for minor offenses.
I do criminal law and am amazed at how outraged people have been over this completely standard thing. I wonder what people expected, because I could have told you from day one a defendant facing a first-time prostitution misdemeanor was never going to jail. I don’t understand what people thought was going to happen.
I thought the consequences would be worse because the victims were trafficked/forced. It’s disturbing to me that this isn’t the case. I’m now worried that the Epstein ring will lead to only wrist slaps for the perps despite that they ruined the lives of those girls. Truly a broken justice system.
BorderMollie,
I wonder if the “johns” are only being charged for their part, whereas the spa owners would be responsible for the human trafficking? These women had their passports confiscated by their “employers”, so clearly this is trafficking.
Yeah, I suppose you’re right, but imo these johns had to know on some level. I don’t buy otherwise. Just depressing what the powerful get away with.
Yes, this is my understanding as well (I’m a lawyer but not criminal.) but people I know who are criminal lawyers are saying this is standard – the optics may look bad, but its not unusual in itself.
The average person doesn’t know how our courts normally operate so they think this is privilege or favoritism and they’re outraged but it is the norm. I have had cases where people have pulled guns on others and been allowed to do this and they weren’t billionaire white guys. If there isn’t a mandatory minimum, people usually aren’t going to prison for misdemeanors when they have no priors. the WSJ should know better than to say this is unusual, it isn’t.
Agreed. All things considered, it is the norm.
I get it, unfortunately. I just find it so very frustrating that the lives of non-white women are valued so little by our society. It just adds to the overwhelming sense people have about the callous exploitation of the lower classes by the wealthy.
In my limited life experience, it’s difficult to get people to care about women of color, ever. :/ Facing the double burden of racism and misogyny is a potent and toxic combination.
I live in Boston, and people think this whole thing is a joke. The radio stations just laugh about it, saying he just wanted sex and that women throw themselves at him anyway. It’s so gross and infuriating.
Read this yesterday and cannot be more disgusted. I have no words and I’m pretty sure he cc’d will admit to t by e guilt and get off scott free.
Hate my phone. Meant to say bet he will admit to the guilt . . .
I live in South Florida and even know two men who were arrested that are in the boating industry. Believe me this case doesn’t even begin to show the level of entitlement and perversion that the rich have. Palm Beach Island is infamous for the sex parties hosted in the mansions there, with people in cages. Sex trafficking is very much something that the Uber rich support because to them they are just buying another service or thing, they don’t see these women or even children as people but as things for their pleasure.
^This. Just look at Jeffrey Epstein.
I used to live in South Florida, Fort Lauderdale.
There are prostitutes everywhere down there. And I have firsthand knowledge, because my now ex-husband decided to actually have an affair with one.
There is a fancy bar there where everyone knows the women go to find old, rich men.
That was over three years ago for me; and it still hurts like it just happened ….
Dailyfail says he’s not taking deal, fwiw. My guess is he is scared to take public STD test, cause he likely has something, and has been spreading it. Just imo.
if this is true, I hope he goes to trial, is found guilty, and loses his precious team.
Considering this and the way child molester bryan singer was given a pass makes Florida look like nirvana for dirty old rich white men..no wonder trump runs there to hide so often.
Hello privilege
So gross.
On Monday House Democrats called for a counter intelligence investigation of Madame Yang and her house of pleasure. Response requested by tomorrow. Hope something comes of it and her sleazy ties to trump and Chinese officials.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/world/national-security/congressional-democrats-want-counterintelligence-probe-of-chinese-american-massage-parlor-founder-connected-to-trump/2019/03/18/55022b60-4989-11e9-9663-00ac73f49662_story.html
I hope this works!
Of course. Nevermind that he could have easily purchased the services of a high class escort when he could enjoy establishing his dominance and power over trafficked women. This country is a shithole if there ever was one. It just has the shiny veneer that throws you off.
And I am pretty sure Pam Bondi somehow got involved even though she is no longer AG.
Ugh. He even looks like a dirty old man.
This really is not an outrage,
There are all sorts of examples of both racial and economic imbalances in our criminal justice system. But defendants with no criminal history facing non-violent misdemeanors are eligible for a diversion or deferred adjudication program in pretty much every jurisdiction. A diversion offer would be made to any defendant.
This kind of resolution for low-level offenses is not getting off scot-free. T is better understood as putting the conditions of probation first and if you meet those conditions, you end up with no conviction. But if you screw up, you have waived the right to contest the facts because you have already admitted them. I have had many clients, of all economic and racial stripes, benefit from diversion. It’s a good thing overall.
Be outraged about the human trafficking. Be frustrated that these defendants can’t be (or haven’t been) charged with their role in perpetuating that.
But a diversion offer to a defendant charged as these men are is standard operating procedure and is not about the wealth or race of the defendant.
Standard operating procedure unless there are mandatory minimums. Many states have mandatory minimums for minor drug offenses, that’s where the imbalance is occurring. That’s where the outrage should be. And the WSJ should be embarrassed for saying this is unusual. What is unusual is Kraft’s refusal to take the deal.
I wrote “charged as these men are.”
Yes, Sarah, just elaborating on that.
@LP/Sarah what do you know or think about the rushed ID on him, when they pulled over his chauffeured car but asked to see his ID instead of just the driver’s. Will this be the linchpin for dismissal of his case or the charges.
TheOtherSam: in a traffic stop, police can ask passengers for their identification. Whether the passenger has to answer varies, but police can generally ask.
“Be outraged about the human trafficking. Be frustrated that these defendants can’t be (or haven’t been) charged with their role in perpetuating that.”
THIS! If people were not paying for these women, then there would be no need to traffic them over here.
Big red flag when a billionaire goes to a strip mall massage parlor most of us could afford. Most in that income bracket would have them come to their home but they don’t want the women having their home addresses
Either way, rich white people always get leniency, unfortunately. I’m just really sad for all those women who were trafficked to the U.S. on the false promise of better lives. I hope they can find a way forward from here and if they want to stay in this country, they should be able to. At the very least, if there is any justice in the world, the legal system should use some of Kraft’s $$$ to pay for the women’s rehabilitation and education or something.