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Florida prosecutors drop prostitution charges against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft

JUPITER, Fla. — Prosecutors in Florida decided Thursday to drop prostitution charges filed last year against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, WFXT reported.

Authorities filed charges against Kraft and dozens of other men as part of a crackdown on illicit massage parlors and human trafficking in Florida. The 79-year-old faced two counts of soliciting another to commit prostitution, a misdemeanor, after authorities said he was videotaped entering Orchids of Asia Day Spa in January 2019.

Kraft denied the allegation.

In a court document filed Thursday and obtained by WFXT, prosecutors said there was enough probable cause to arrest Kraft, however, there was not enough evidence to support a criminal prosecution.

The filing comes after the Florida 4th District Court of Appeal found last month that Jupiter police violated the rights of Kraft and others when they secretly installed video cameras inside massage rooms at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in early 2019. The court then blocked use of the video footage at trial.

The recordings, which have not been made public, are the only known evidence the men paid for sex.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Check back for updates to this developing story.