Former Jacksonville Jaguars Employee to Plead Guilty to Stealing $22 Million Due to Gambling Addiction
A former Jacksonville Jaguars employee is set to plead guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction, according to his attorney, Alex King. The ex-employee, Amit Patel, allegedly stole more than $22 million from the team’s virtual credit card (VCC) program to fuel his gambling addiction.
King revealed that Patel suffered from a “serious gambling addiction” and that he used fraudulently obtained money from the company’s VCC program to subsidize his gambling losses. The attorney stated that Patel bet on football and daily fantasy sports, using his own name while placing bets.
The NFL first contacted Patel in February, leading to his termination by the Jaguars after an investigation into his activities. According to King, approximately 99 percent of the funds from the VCC program were used for gambling losses, primarily on FanDuel and DraftKings.
Despite Patel’s actions, the NFL issued a statement, saying that their review uncovered no evidence of inside information being used or any compromise of games. Nevertheless, Patel takes full responsibility for his actions and has sought treatment for his addiction.
King emphasized that Patel’s gambling losses were most significant in the months leading up to the NFL’s investigation. He stated that Patel used the VCC funds in a misguided attempt to pay back his previous gambling losses, rather than living an extravagant lifestyle.
Patel, listed in the Jaguars’ media guides from 2018 to 2022, oversaw the club’s financial statements and department budgets. He also served as the administrator of the VCC program, which allowed certain authorized employees to request VCC’s for business-related purchases or expenses.
Authorities allege that Patel made fraudulent transactions beginning in September 2019, hiding the transactions by duplicating legitimate reoccurring transactions and entering fictitious transactions. King confirmed that Patel has cooperated with the Jaguars, FBI, and U.S. Attorney’s Office in their investigation.
While Patel is expected to serve jail time, the sentencing agreement will be determined following a pre-sentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office.
The situation serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of gambling addiction and the devastating impact it can have, not only on the individual but also on those around them.