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Former Jacksonville Jaguars Employee Sentenced to 6½ Years in Prison for Stealing $22 Million
Amit Patel, a former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars, has been sentenced to 6½ years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing $22 million from the team. U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams Jr. handed down the sentence, along with an order for Patel to pay $21.1 million in restitution to the Jaguars and attend Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
During the hearing, Patel expressed remorse for his actions, stating, “I stand before you embarrassed, shamed, and disappointed by my actions.” He acknowledged his gambling addiction and mentioned that he had been sober for nearly a year while seeking help to overcome his struggles. “I can never truly convey how sorry I am to everyone affected by my actions,” he added.
Megha Parekh, the Jaguars’ senior vice president and chief legal officer, read a statement on behalf of the team, highlighting the betrayal they felt by Patel’s actions. She emphasized that Patel had no access to football-related information and that no other team employees were involved in the theft scheme. “We trusted him. We broke bread with him. He betrayed us. We take no joy in his punishment. Make no mistake, Amit broke our hearts,” she stated.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Federal prosecutors had recommended a seven-year sentence for wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions, while Patel’s attorney, Alex King, had sought punishments ranging from probation to one year in prison. The court ultimately decided on the 6½-year sentence and the hefty restitution amount of $21.1 million.
Patel confessed to embezzling $22,221,454.40 from the Jacksonville Jaguars over a period of 3½ years while overseeing the team’s virtual credit card program. Court records revealed that Patel transferred approximately $20 million to FanDuel, $1 million to DraftKings, and used the remaining stolen funds for personal expenditures, including significant sums at Apple, Amazon, and Best Buy. He also moved $5 million from his sports betting accounts to personal accounts for extravagant purchases like Tiger Woods’ 1996 putter and private jet charters.
According to King, Patel’s actions were fueled by a severe gambling addiction, with a significant portion of the misappropriated funds being used to cover gambling losses. Patel began his gambling habits at a young age, using his mother’s credit card in high school and incurring debts while working at Deloitte in 2017. Despite his efforts to repay those debts, Patel’s addiction persisted, leading to his downfall.
The NFL strictly prohibits its club and league employees from engaging in any form of sports gambling and daily fantasy sports, underlining the importance of maintaining integrity and ethical conduct within the organization.
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