Former Jacksonville Jaguars American football club employee, Amit Patel, is accused of stealing and embezzling $22 million. He has been charged with fraud by the court.
According to Patel’s lawyer, Alex King, his client suffers from a gambling addiction. Investigators noted that the former club employee began his fraudulent scheme in September 2019. It wasn’t until February 2023 that Patel, having illegally obtained a large sum, stopped stealing. He tried to recover his losses but ended up spending even more, King highlighted.
The lawyer specified that Patel spent all the funds on fantasy sports games through operators FanDuel and DraftKings, amounting to up to 99% of the illicitly acquired funds.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida also noted other expenses, including renting private jets, staying in luxury hotels, and even buying a house.
NFL representative Alex Ritmiller stated that Patel did not use any insider information and did not attempt to illegally lead his team to victory. This could potentially mitigate his sentence.
