Robert Kraft has broken his silence to issue an apology, saying that he has 'extraordinary respect for women'.
'In deference to the judicial process, I have remained silent these past several weeks,' Kraft, 77, said in a statement on Saturday, one month after being charged with soliciting prostitution in a Florida massage parlor sting.
'To correct some of the misinformation surrounding this matter, my attorney made his first public comments on Friday night. I would like to use this opportunity to say something that I have wanted to say for four weeks,' Kraft added.
On Friday, Kraft's legal team had expressed their shock that police plan to release a video that purportedly shows paid sex acts inside the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter.
'I am truly sorry. I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard,' the statement read.
'Throughout my life, I have always tried to do the right thing. The last thing I would ever want to do is disrespect another human being. I have extraordinary respect for women; my morals and my soul were shaped by the most wonderful woman, the love of my life, who I was blessed to have as my partner for 50 years,' he continued, referring to his wife Myra, whom he married in 1963 and who died of ovarian cancer in 1968.
In a statement, Kraft paid tribute to his late wife Myra, calling her a 'wonderful woman, the love of my life.' The couple is seen together one year before she died of cancer in 2011
Kraft allegedly received hand stimulation from 45-year-old spa manager Lei Wang (pictured) and a 58-year-old spa employee named Shen Mingbi, paying them each with a $100 bill. Neither women is believed to be a victim of human trafficking
Kraft's statement comes a month after he was charged in the sting targeting several Florida massage parlors, including Orchids of Asia in Jupiter (above)
'In deference to the judicial process, I have remained silent these past several weeks. To correct some of the misinformation surrounding this matter, my attorney made his first public comments on Friday night. I would like to use this opportunity to say something that I have wanted to say for four weeks.
'I am truly sorry. I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard. Throughout my life, I have always tried to do the right thing. The last thing I would ever want to do is disrespect another human being. I have extraordinary respect for women; my morals and my soul were shaped by the most wonderful woman, the love of my life, who I was blessed to have as my partner for 50 years.
'As I move forward, I hope to continue to use the platform with which I have been blessed to help others and to try to make a difference. I expect to be judged not by my words, but by my actions. And through these actions, I hope to regain your confidence and respect.'
'As I move forward, I hope to continue to use the platform with which I have been blessed to help others and to try to make a difference. I expect to be judged not by my words, but by my actions. And through these actions, I hope to regain your confidence and respect,' Kraft concluded.
On Friday, Kraft's legal team said they are 'surprised and disappointed' that prosecutors have denied their request to stop the 'sexual and graphic' videos from inside a Florida spa from being released to the public.
Hidden camera footage of the billionaire allegedly engaging in sex acts with prostitutes at a day spa is expected to be released at some point, to the dismay of lead attorney William Burck, who said authorities had denied the request for a protective order over the evidence in the case.
Earlier this week, attorneys for the 77-year-old billionaire and 14 other defendants in the case motioned to suppress video which was subsequently rejected.
Burck said: 'We put in a motion for a protective order of the evidence in this case, a standard request in any case to keep evidence protected until trial – especially since the video evidence supposedly contains private moments between [two or more] people.
'We've been surprised and disappointed that the state attorney did not sign on to the protective order, because it is a standard procedure in a criminal case. They declined to agree to the protective order.'
Hidden camera footage of the billionaire allegedly engaging in sex acts with prostitutes at a Florida day spa is expected to be released at some point, to the dismay of lead attorney William Burck (pictured right), who said authorities had denied the request for a protective order over the evidence in the case
