Life & Times of Billionaire Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
Robert Kraft is an American businessman widely known for being the National Football League (NFL) franchise owner, the New England Patriots.
One of the most prominent owners, since he took over as owner of the Patriots, his astounding business decisions and hiring of Patriots coach and General Manager, Bill Belichick, has seen the Patriots record impressive success in the NFL.
The franchise has been to the Super Bowl nine times since Kraft became owner and has emerged champions on six occasions.
Before Kraft became an NFL franchise owner, the billionaire business mogul started from the button of the social order.
In this article, we’ll take a look at Robert Kraft’s biography facts, childhood, early life, business career, and personal life.
Robert Kraft Biography Facts
| Full Name | Robert Kenneth Kraft |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | June 5, 1941 |
| Place of Birth | Brookline, Massachusetts, United States |
| Age | 82 years |
| Nationality | American |
| Political Party | Democratic |
| Wife | Myra Hiatt (m. 1963; died 2011) |
| Partners | Ricki Noel Lander (2012–2018); Dana Blumberg (present). |
| Children | Jonathan Kraft, David Kraft, Daniel A. Kraft, Joshua Kraft. |
| Grandchild | Harry Kraft |
| Sports Empire | New England Patriots (1994–present); New England Revolution (1994–present); Boston Uprising (2017–present). |
| Career Highlights | Six times Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII); Theodore Roosevelt Award |
Robert Kraft Early Life, Childhood & Education
Robert Kraft was born to Harry Kraft and Sarah Bryna in Brookline, Massachusetts, in June 1941. He was born in a Modern Orthodox Jewish family.
Kraft and his family were very religious. His father even wanted him to become a rabbi.
Before going on to Brookline high school, he first schooled at Edward Devotion School, where he served as senior high school president.
Kraft could not participate in sports programs in school due to the interference with his observance of the Sabbath and after-school Hebrew studies.
When he went on to Columbia University, he participated in sports, playing as running back for the varsity’s freshman and lightweight teams.
After he graduated from the University in 1963, he went on to get his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Robert Kraft Business Career
Early Career & Kraft Group
After getting his MBA from Harvard, Kraft went on to work at Rand-Whitney Group, a packaging company based in Worcester, which was owned by Jacob Hiatt, his father-in-law.
In 1968, Kraft assumed ownership of the company through a leveraged buy-out. He built the company’s clientele, and in 1972, International Forest Products, a physical paper commodity trading company, was founded.
Soon, International Forest Products and the Rand-Whitney Group became the largest packaging and paper company in the United States.
As his companies progressed, he got interested in other fields, and the Kraft Group was birth.
New England Patriots – NFL
Kraft’s foray into sports began in 1974, where he purchased the World TeamTennis team, Boston Lobsters. The team became one of the best in the league, but in 1978, the team folded up.
Kraft had long had his eyes on the New England Patriots as he is a fan. As Patriots owner Billy Sullivan was dealing with a financial crisis, Kraft outbid multiple investors to buy the Patriots Stadium for $22 million.
Kraft bought the outdated stadium because of the lease to the Patriots, which lasted until 2001. He nodded to buy the franchise but lost to Victor Kiam.
Liam and Sullivan decided to move the franchise to Jacksonville, but Kraft would not let them break the lease. Soon Kiam, who also was battling a financial crisis, sold the franchise to James Orthwein.
New owner James Orthwein was not interested in running the franchise in New England and offered Kraft $75 million to buy the stadium’s lease to the Patriots, but Kraft declined.
He then decided to sell the franchise. Kraft then offered him $172 million.
Since then, Kraft has developed the franchise as one of the best in the league.
New England Revolution – MLS
In 1996, Robert Kraft founded a Major League Soccer franchise, the New England Revolution which is owned by the Kraft Group.
Boston Uprising – Esports
In July 2017, Kraft bought Boston Uprising ownership, which is an American professional Overwatch based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Uprising is among the first seven teams of the league.
Robert Kraft Personal Life
Wife
Robert Kraft got married to Myra Nathalie Hiatt, daughter of a philanthropic businessman, Jacob Hiatt, in June 1963. The couple had four children.
Myra Nathalie Hiatt died in 2011, and throughout that season, her initials “MHK” appeared on the Patriots jersey.
Girlfriend
In June 2012, Kraft began having a romantic relationship with Ricki Noel Lander, an actress about 39 years younger than him.
Lander gave birth to a child in 2017, which was rumored to be Kraft’s. Kraft denied paternity, and in 2018 their relationship hit the rocks.
Kraft is currently in a relationship with his girlfriend, Dana Blumberg, a doctor in New York City. She is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology who focuses on the glaucomatous disease of the eye.
Children
Rober Kraft has four children with his first wife, Myra Nathalie Hiatt. All of Kraft’s children had served or serve in various capacities in their father’s business.
- Jonathan A. Kraft – President of The Kraft Group and the New England Patriots
- Daniel A. Kraft – President of International Forest Products
- Joshua M. Kraft – President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston
- David H. Kraft – Former Director at The Kraft Group
Robert Kraft Controversy
In February 2019, the Jupiter Police chief announced that Robert Kraft, along with two others, would be charged with “soliciting another to commit prostitution.”
Kraft was videoed at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa engaging in sexual activity. It was revealed that managers of the Orchids of Asia Day Spa were engaging in sex trafficking and forcing them to perform sexual acts on clients.
Kraft spokesman denied that he engaged in any illegal acts.
After it was revealed he’d be charged with the first-degree misdemeanor, Kraft set up a legal “dream” team.
In March 2019, Kraft and the other defendants were offered plea deals, which will see them engage in 100 hours of community service, paying a $5,000 fine for each charged count, and attending classes concerning the dangers of prostitution.
Accepting the deal will make charges and cases expunged, but the defendants would have to agree “that they would have been found guilty had the case gone to trial.”
After months of legal battles, the charges were eventually dropped on the grounds of insufficient evidence.
Facts Check
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