Ex-Jags employee faces theft charges in Florida

Ex-Jags employee faces theft charges in Florida

Florida authorities this week brought state grand theft charges against the former Jacksonville Jaguars employee who stole more than $22 million from the team while feeding his gambling habit, according to state records.

Amit Patel, 32, is already serving a 6½-year sentence at Williamsburg federal prison in South Carolina after pleading guilty in December 2023 to wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. Now, he faces six counts of grand theft in Florida. Under state law, grand theft of $100,000 or more is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Patel admitted to stealing from the Jaguars over 3½ years while managing the team’s virtual credit card program. Federal prosecutors claimed Patel lived a “life of luxury” that included lavish vacations and the purchase of a high-end watch and sports memorabilia.

The Jaguars later sued Patel in Florida state court for $66.6 million in damages. That case is still pending.

In July 2024, Patel filed a lawsuit against FanDuel in federal court claiming the sportsbook “exploited” his gambling addiction and intentionally ignored its responsible gaming and protocols against money laundering. According to court documents, he transferred approximately $20 million to FanDuel.

Patel has said he was previously diagnosed with a gambling disorder and was a preyed upon by the website operator, according to a court filing.

The Jaguars declined to comment Thursday. An attorney for Patel did not immediately respond to inquiries from ESPN.

ESPN staff writer David Purdum contributed to this report.


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