As Patriots owner Robert Kraft faces criminal charges in Florida, he has hired a criminal defense lawyer in that jurisdiction.
Per multiple reports, Kraft has retained Jack Goldberger in connection with two counts of misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution. Goldberger previously represented notorious billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who allegedly ran a sex trafficking ring involving underaged girls and whose 2008 plea deal has recently come under intense scrutiny for not properly respecting the rights of Epstein’s victims.
Kraft’s first court appearance is scheduled for April 24; he’s not required to personally attend. With Kraft categorically denying the charges on Friday via a spokesman, Goldberger presumably will be tasked with achieving full exoneration. If full exoneration isn’t possible, Goldberger will be directed to negotiate some sort of plea agreement.
As a practical matter, Kraft’s profile could hurt him in this case, with prosecutors opting to push the matter to a jury trial and a conviction in order to advance the deterrent aspect of the criminal justice system. The more that is written, said, and exposed about the case, the more likely that others will think twice before engaging in similar behavior -- assuming that the behavior eventually can be proven to have happened beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
