Ex-Jaguars employee gets 6.5-year sentence for $22 million theft

On Tuesday, a previous Jacksonville Jaguars staff member who embezzled more than $22 million to support his gambling habit and extravagant living was given a 6.5-year prison term.

Amit Patel, aged 31, acknowledged taking $22,221,454 during a four-year period while managing the team’s virtual credit card system. After the fraud was uncovered, Patel was dismissed by the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team in February 2023. Having utilized the money for gambling, high-end products, and personal trips, Patel pleaded guilty to wire fraud and unauthorized financial operations.

Serving as the only authorized administrator for the Jaguars’ virtual credit card system, Patel fabricated transactions and altered records to conceal his embezzlement from September 2019 to February 2023. During his court appearance, he conveyed remorse and confessed to the felony charges, attributing his behavior to a escalating gambling addiction. Patel expressed feeling “embarrassed, ashamed, and disappointed” by his conduct.

 

 

In court, he expressed regret and confessed to the felony charges, citing his escalating gambling addiction as the cause of his actions. He expressed feeling “embarrassed, ashamed, and disappointed” about what he had done.

Diverting millions from the Jaguars’ funds, he spent extravagantly on luxurious items like opulent hotel accommodations, private jet rentals, a fresh Tesla car, cryptocurrency, a $95,000 Patek Philippe timepiece, a Nissan pickup truck, a residence in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and went as far as acquiring Tiger Woods’ prized 1996 putter. Attorney Alex King, who acted on behalf of Patel during the trial, mentioned that his client felt profound regret and offered apologies for his actions, highlighting that he is grappling with a severe gambling addiction.

Megha Parekh, the Jaguars’ senior vice president, expressed that Patel violated their trust and brought great sorrow to the team. The team requested reimbursement from FanDuel for the millions that Patel lost in gambling on the platform, but the company declined to comply.

Patel has been mandated to provide $21.1 million in restitution to the Jaguars, although it is improbable that the team will fully recoup all the embezzled funds.