# Vladimir Putin Stole Robert Kraft's Superbowl Ring! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 15, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079 "2013-06-15T18:09:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/1 "2013-06-15T18:09:52Z")
How strange…apparently on a visit to the Kremlin, Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, had his Super Bowl ring stolen by Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and when he tried to get the white house to intervene upon his return to the US, he was told to act like the ring was a gift to improve US/Russian relations. How bizarre! Story here: [Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Admits Vladimir Putin Stole His Super Bowl Ring | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report](http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1673940-robert-kraft-admits-vladimir-putin-stole-his-super-bowl-ring?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial&hpt=hp_t2) ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/2 "2013-06-15T18:32:32Z")
Putin’s a jerk, but I’m pretty sceptical he goes around bullying random people out of their baubles. Plus, it doesn’t help his credibility that Kraft seems to think the USSR is still a thing, with his concern about US-Soviet relations and KGB agents. I think Kraft had one to many at whatever fundraiser he was at and started making stuff up to entertain his listeners. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/3 "2013-06-15T19:00:45Z")
Maybe. And I know this is the bleacher report. But what if this were true? It’s pretty funny either way. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/4 "2013-06-16T15:17:58Z")
This story is gaining some wheels. It’s now on CNN with Putin denying he stole the ring and that it was a gift. So the ring is in Russia. > **[Russian president: I did not steal Super Bowl ring | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2013/06/16/world/europe/russia-putin-ring/index.html?hpt=hp_t2)** > > The Russian president is fighting back: No, he did not steal a Super Bowl ring from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/5 "2013-06-16T16:36:00Z")
It’s not like they can’t just make him another, surely? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/6 "2013-06-16T17:49:30Z")
This happened in 2005? And seven or so years later, Mr. Kraft wants to complain? This seems to be a rather odd thing to be a news story. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/7 "2013-06-16T18:01:51Z")
Man, everyone’s [asking Putin for their rings back lately](http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/world/europe/russia-putin-marriage/index.html). > [@FoieGrasisEvil](#): > > So the ring is in Russia. But in the Kremilin with other State gifts, not in Putin’s personal possession. I think Kraft is lying. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/8 "2013-06-16T19:03:29Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > This happened in 2005? And seven or so years later, Mr. Kraft wants to complain? > This seems to be a rather odd thing to be a news story. No, it’s only in the news now because CNN heard about it. Kraft has been saying this for years, so it’s old news to Pats fans. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/9 "2013-06-16T20:36:57Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Man, everyone’s [asking Putin for their rings back lately](http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/world/europe/russia-putin-marriage/index.html). > > But in the Kremilin with other State gifts, not in Putin’s personal possession. I think Kraft is lying. Maybe Kraft is seeding an idea for a new Tom Cruise movie, _Mission Impossible V: Ring Around The Kremilin._ ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/10 "2013-06-16T20:59:17Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > It’s not like they can’t just make him another, surely? I don’t think they can, no. I’m pretty sure all the molds for championship rings get destroyed, to reduce chances of someone making a counterfeit. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/11 "2013-06-16T23:45:42Z")
Man, this story has everything- a cold-hearted ruler who has overseen one of the world’s greatest and most successful spy forces, _plus_ Vladimir Putin! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/12 "2013-06-18T15:21:43Z")
Who gets to keep the ring depends on who broke off the engagement. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/13 "2013-06-18T15:46:21Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > But in the Kremilin with other State gifts, not in Putin’s personal possession. I think Kraft is lying. I know nothing of Kraft or really football in general. But it sounds weird to me that you’d just give Putin a $25,000 ring. Much less one with the added value of being a Super Bowl ring. How does that even come up? “Hey, I like the way you stare icily… have my ring!”? On the other hand the whole “Can I have it back?” “Have what back?” “My ring” “You never gave me a ring…” thing sounds farcical as well. I’m sure I’ve seen that in cartoons. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/14 "2013-06-18T15:53:30Z")
At least he didn’t have to answer three riddles to get it away from him. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-putin-stole-robert-krafts-superbowl-ring/661079/15 "2013-06-20T05:05:08Z")
John Oliver just did a bit on this tonight plus here is the story in the [Guardian from the 17th](http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jun/17/putin-patriots-kraft-super-bowl-ring) where Putin offers to replace the ring though still denying the story. However the closing paragraph curiously states: > [@](#): > > The Super Bowl ring is on display in the Kremlin library along with other gifts to the Russian leader, according to Peskov. Kraft has two other Super Bowl rings, given to him for his team’s other [NFL](http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/nfl) championships.