Nonprofit Rejects Robert Kraft's $100K Donation: Report

FOXBOROUGH, MA — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's philanthropic efforts have taken a hit following allegations he solicited prostitution at a Florida massage parlor. The Haitian Project, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit that provides free schooling for children in Haiti, rejected a $100,000 donation Kraft made last month, The Boston Globe reported. Patrick Moynihan, the president of the nonprofit, said the decision was "gut-wrenching" because it would have helped 353 students at the Louverture Cleary School near Port-au-Prince.

Moynihan told The Globe although the donation would have helped a lot of students, his organization "cannot do good by doing bad."

"We can’t accept philanthropy from an individual that has not only participated and supported the industry, but refuses to recognize that it is wrong and fundamentally harmful to society," Moynahan told The Globe. "Instead, he has chosen to use every resource and legal technicality to fight it, making his reputation his only concern."

Kraft has pleaded not guilty to two counts of soliciting prostitution. Kraft is among at least 25 people charged as a result of a a six-month investigation out of Orchids of Asia Spa in Jupiter, Fla. Kraft is accused of visiting the spa twice while it was under video surveillance. One of those visits was the day of the AFC Championship game, prosecutors said. Kraft's attorneys and prosecutos have argued over whether the surveillance videos should be released to the public.

Two weeks ago, Judge Leonard Hanser ruled the videos cannot be released until a jury is sworn in or unless the case was concluded in other ways. Hanser agreed with Kraft's attorneys that it would be nearly impossible for Kraft to receive a fair trial if the videos were released.

Prosecutors said they needed to release the videos because they were also part of a case against the owner and manager at Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter. Spa manager Lei Wang and owner Hua Zhang pleaded not guilty to maintaining a house of prostitution and numerous other charges. Prosecutors have also cited Florida's "Public Records Act," arguing they are obligated by state law to release the videos.

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