Patriots owner Bob Kraft was just charged with soliciting prostitution. Here's how he made his $4.3 billion fortune, from working at his father-in-law's packaging company to buying the NFL team for $172 million
Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of NFL team the New England Patriots, is worth an estimated $4.36 billion, according to Bloomberg. Forbes, however, estimates a higher net worth of $6.6 billion.
The Patriots owner was charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution on February 22, 2019.
Source: Business Insider
The son of a textile worker and synagogue leader, Kraft attended Columbia University and later Harvard Business School.
Source: Bloomberg
It was during his time at Harvard that Kraft started going to Patriots games, then the Boston Patriots of the American Football League.
Source: Bloomberg
After graduating from Harvard, Kraft got a job at Rand-Whitney Group, a packaging company owned by his wife's father. Three years later, he acquired a majority stake in the company. Kraft went on to expand in the paper and packaging industries, starting International Paper Products in 1972.
Source: Bloomberg
Before buying the Patriots in 1994, Kraft was a 23-year season ticket holder. He bought the team's Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts out of bankruptcy court, in 1988.
Source: Patriots.com via Business Insider
Kraft was reportedly offered a lucrative buyout to allow the Patriots to terminate their lease with their stadium and move out of New England, but he refused and opted to to buy the team instead.
Source: Patriots.com via Business Insider
Under Kraft's ownership, the Patriots have gone on to win six Super Bowls since 2001.
Source: Business Insider
The team is one of the most valuable in the NFL, valued at an estimated $3.5 billion.
Source: Bloomberg
In 2011, Myra, Kraft's wife of nearly 50 nears, died of ovarian cancer.
Source: Business Insider, Bloomberg
The couple shared four sons: Jonathan, Daniel, Joshua, and David, three of whom are heavily involved in Kraft's business.
Source: The Kraft Group via Business Insider
The pair is frequently seen together at sporting events such as Celtics games and the U.S. Open.
In 2017, Lander gave birth to a daughter, of which Kraft has said he is not the biological father. He did, however, reportedly buy Lander a mansion in L.A. and is invested in the upbringing of the child.
Source: Sporting News via Business Insider
Kraft donated to Barack Obama's re-election campaign.
He has also praised Donald Trump in public interviews and described the president as a "close friend."
Source: Boston.com
In 2005, Kraft reportedly "accidentally" gave a Super Bowl ring to Russian President Vladimir Putin while on a business trip to Russia. Kraft said he showed his 2004 Super Bowl ring to Putin, who apparently tried it on and never gave it back.
Source: Business Insider
In addition to his ownership of the Patriots, Kraft owns the New England Revolution soccer team, one of the 10 original MLS clubs.
Source: Business Insider
He's still very involved in the paper business as owner of paper companies Rand-Whitney, International Forest Products, and half of New-Indy.
Source: Bloomberg
Kraft lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, about six miles from Boston.
Source: Bloomberg, Google Maps
He's active on the boards of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston College and the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership.
Source: Bloomberg
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