Kraft's Ring stolen By Putin (Allegedly)

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**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft revealed the real story behind a 2005 meeting with Vladimir Putin, during which the Russian president pocketed his Super Bowl ring, worth more than $25,000. Kraft, at the time, claimed the diamond-encrusted bauble was a gift, but he now admits Putin stole it, and the White House intervened when he demanded it back.

Kraft explained the incident happened while Sandy Weill and other business execs were in St. Petersburg. “I took out the ring and showed it to [Putin], and he put it on and he goes, ‘I can kill someone with this ring,’ ” Kraft told the crowd at Carnegie Hall’s Medal of Excellence gala at the Waldorf-Astoria.“I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out.”

AFP/Getty Images
Vladimir Putin
Kraft released a statement at the time, “President Putin, a great and knowledgable sports fan, was clearly taken with its uniqueness. I decided to give him the ring as a symbol of the respect and admiration that I have for the Russian people and [his] leadership.

But Kraft really wanted the 4.94-carat bauble back, he said Thursday, admitting he’d gotten a call from the George W. Bush-run White House, saying, “‘It would really be in the best interest of US-Soviet relations if you meant to give the ring as a present.” (In fact the Soviet Union had collapsed 14 years earlier.)

But, Kraft said, “I really didn’t [want to]. I had an emotional tie to the ring, it has my name on it. I don’t want to see it on eBay. There was a pause on the other end of the line, and the voice repeated, ‘It would really be in the best interest if you meant to give the ring as a present.’ ” The ring is now reportedly kept in the Kremlin library.

Also attending the event were Andre Tippett, Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo and Tom Brady, who told us of Tim Tebow joining the Patriots, “I think the more great players we have the better it’s going to be for our team. I hope it turns out well because I’ve had a quite a lot of new guys . . . we’ll see.”

Source http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/kraft_putin_stole_bowl_ring_qtB16b5PI0jipYT6tQxUGO

Pretty Crazy story

**MeanGreenStompa**

Hlaine Larkin mk2 wrote:
Pretty Crazy story

Putin's a pretty crazy guy...

**Wyrmalla**

There's the perfect excuse to have Putin bumped off. Have at it!

But anyhow, Dictators be crazy...

**Dreadclaw69**

That's not a great Putin bedtime story. Where was the giant bear that he wrestled and subdued? Where is the finding of a lost civilisation? Or splitting an atom with just his razor sharp wit?

**KalashnikovMarine**

Heh, man amongst men, thief.

**Kid_Kyoto**

If Putin ever shook hands with Kim Jung Il the universe would end.

**whembly**

Heh... good for Putin!

(I hate the Patriots since they cheated in '01).

**Ahtman**

A world leader stealing a ring? You have to be putin me on.

**Snrub**

I hope you feel ashamed of yourself Ahtman. That joke was hidious.

**JWhex**

The sad thing is the story is completely believeable. Putin is a thug pure and simple. Was it Bush that looked Putin in the eyes and bonded with him? I seem to remember some nonsense like that happening.

**LoneLictor**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
If Putin ever shook hands with Kim Jung Il the universe would end.

He'd just take the man's hand off.

**Kid_Kyoto**

Wow.

Just wow.

I wonder what else he's done with visitors.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

so Putin reportedly stole a ring

and the US government reportedly approved of the theft of the personal property of a US citizen by a foreign power

everybody comes out of this so well!

**Howard A Treesong**

It doesn't really surprise me at all, nor does it that Bush asked him not to make a fuss to keep Putin sweet. It's not very nice but what could he do? Accuse one of the most powerful people in the world of stealing... and then what?

**Sigvatr**

Crazy Russian despot doing crazy things

**SilverMK2**

Doea russia supply the US with oil or something?

**Ouze**

JWhex wrote:
The sad thing is the story is completely believeable.

Is it? Is it really? I've read this in 3 places, and in all cases, the POTUS called this guy and asked him to lie about it in "the interest of US-Soviet relations", in a meeting that allegedly happened in 2005. This is the first article to acknowledge that the Soviet Union ceased to exist, like, 15 years before this meeting even happened.

**LoneLictor**

Ouze wrote:
JWhex wrote:
The sad thing is the story is completely believeable.

Is it? Is it really? I've read this in 3 places, and in all cases, the POTUS called this guy and asked him to lie about it in "the interest of US-Soviet relations", in a meeting that allegedly happened in 2005. This is the first article to acknowledge that the Soviet Union ceased to exist, like, 15 years before this meeting even happened.

That does sound like something Bush would say. If you want to try and relive the yonder days of pre-2010, look no further than Bushisms.

"And they have no disregard for human life." --George W. Bush, on the brutality of Afghan fighters, Washington, D.C., July 15, 2008

"I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 26, 2008

"People say, well, do you ever hear any other voices other than, like, a few people? Of course I do." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2008

"I've been in the Bible every day since I've been the president." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Nov. 12, 2008

"I didn't grow up in the ocean -- as a matter of fact -- near the ocean -- I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2008

"And I, unfortunately, have been to too many disasters as president." --George W. Bush, discussing flooding in the Midwest, Washington, D.C., June 17, 2008

**chaos0xomega**

Theres a huge difference between a grammatical error and mistaking one nation for another... granted, it may also have been an intentional statement on Bush's part (as in a "wink wink nudge nudge" type thing...)

**KalashnikovMarine**

Dubya speaks a language all his own.

**kronk**

Huh. Putin's kind of a jerk.

Totally not surprised.

**Jihadin**

I thought Putin won that Super Bowl? Both hands tied behind his back....

**rubiksnoob**

Jihadin wrote:
I thought Putin won that Super Bowl? Both hands tied behind his back....

And shirtless, of course.

**Ouze**

I think this story is a load of crap.

Also: Simpsons did It.

Spoiler: