Robert Kraft was seen leaving a pre-Oscars party in California one day after being charged with soliciting sex from prostitutes in Florida.
The 77-year-old owner of the New England Patriots, the reigning Super Bowl champions, was seen leaving Barry Diller’s pre-Oscars bash on Saturday afternoon in Beverly Hills, according to TMZ. In a video obtained by the outlet, Kraft can be seen getting into his car without answering questions about the allegations made against him.
The public outing was the first Kraft made since news of the trafficking scandal first broke last Friday.
The New England Patriots did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
On Friday, Florida police said Kraft is being charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution in connection with a human trafficking sting tied to a chain of local massage parlors.
The allegations stem from two separate visits by Kraft to the Orchids of Asia Day Spa, which has been identified as part of an alleged human trafficking and prostitution network, according to the Palm Beach Post. Police said the visits by Kraft to the spa allegedly occurred last month.
Investigators said they allegedly had evidence Kraft had been driven to a storefront spa in Jupiter and employees performed sex acts on him on at least two occasions.
The spa came under law enforcement scrutiny last October, with police conducting visual surveillance that found a solely male clientele entering and exiting with most customers inside for less than an hour, reported WCVB.
Following confirmation of his charges, a spokesman for Kraft told PEOPLE: “We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further.”
The National Football League said in its own statement that the league “is aware of the ongoing law enforcement matter and will continue to monitor developments.”
Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr said there is video evidence of Kraft and 24 other men who are being charged with solicitation, reports West Palm Beach news station WPTV.
Asked to comment on Kraft’s suspected involvement, he said, “We are as deeply stunned as anyone else.”
The decision whether to proceed with the prosecution of Kraft and the other men 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.
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