The Jacksonville Jaguars are pursuing legal action against the former employee who stole millions from the team to fuel a lavish lifestyle and gambling addiction.
The Jaguars are suing Amit Patel,a former member of the organization’s financial department, in a Florida state court for using their virtual credit card to pay for pricey personal purchases, luxury trips, and DFS registrations on FanDuel and DraftKings.
Patel embezzled more than $22 million by exploiting the team’s VCC. In a lawsuit filed in Duval County Circuit Court, the Jaguars accuse Patel of civil theft, violation of fiduciary duty, and false misrepresentation. The team has sued the Florida native for $66.7 million.
Active Florida law permits plaintiffs in successful claims to receive up to three times the actual damages Included in the case for those seeking total compensation.
Jaguars suffer a major loss.
Patel pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in an illegal monetary transaction in December, admitting to illegally spending team funds as well as inventing and falsifying team accounting records. Patel, who primarily blamed the fraud on a gambling addiction, perpetrated the crimes between September 2019 and February 2023.
According to federal authorities, Patel used team funds to purchase a $47,113 putter used by famed golfer Tiger Woods in 1996. He spent more than $278,000 on hotels and flights, including $78,800 on private jet leases. Patel also spent $717,461 on the cryptocurrency trading platform Coinbase and an additional $140,412 on eBay.
Court records provide details Court filings show Patel transferring $20 million on FanDuel, where he was reportedly dubbed “the biggest loser ever” by high-profile members of the DFS industry, according to ESPN.
Patel was sentenced to slightly over six years in jail in March for his actions, as well as a forfeiture of $22.2 million in cash and property. To now, the Jaguars have only received $261,232 from the sale of Patel’s Ponte Vedra Beach condo. According to the court-ordered release conditions, Patel must pay the Jaguars $250 per month as a repayment plan. In addition, he will be under supervised release for three years after leaving prison.
“I stand before you embarrassed, ashamed, and disappointed by my actions,” Patel stated at his sentencing hearing. “I can Never properly express how sorry I am to everyone affected by my acts.”
If the Jaguars win their lawsuit against Patel, the team will be allowed to confiscate assets purchased by Patel without going through the federal authorities.
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