Ex-Jaguars Employee Faces $22M Grand Theft Charges Florida

Amit Patel, a former finance manager for the Jacksonville Jaguars, is now facing six counts of grand theft under Florida state law after embezzling over $22 million from the team to fuel his gambling addiction and personal luxury purchases. He is already serving a 6.5-year federal prison sentence for wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions, with a restitution order exceeding $21 million. Patel exploited the Jaguars' virtual credit card program to funnel millions to gambling accounts, particularly with FanDuel, where he alleges the sportsbook ignored responsible gaming and anti-money laundering protocols, leading to a separate civil lawsuit against them. The Jaguars have stated Patel acted alone without access to confidential football operations and have cooperated fully with investigations. Patel's legal troubles may extend with additional prison time due to the state charges, and his defense highlights his diagnosed gambling disorder and claims of being exploited by gambling companies. His case underscores the risks of internal fraud and the complexities of addressing gambling addiction within professional sports organizations.