Report: Jaguars Suing Ex-Employee For Over $60 Million

The Jaguars are taking Amit Patel to court.

A Jacksonville Jaguars helmet lies on the turf Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at Miller Electric Center at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Today marked the first day of training camp for the Jacksonville Jaguars. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA

The Jacksonville Jaguars are suing the ex-employee who stole over $20 million.

According to ESPN, the Jaguars are suing Amit Patel for $66.6 million, months after Patel plead guilty in court.

"According to Negin Kordbacheh, an attorney who practices business law in Florida, if the Jaguars prevail in court, it will allow the team more flexibility to recover the stolen funds from Patel without relying on the federal government to act on its behalf," ESPN said. "The team could seize assets that Patel acquired legally. Florida allows plaintiffs to recover up to three times the amount of actual damages."

"The Jacksonville Jaguars have asked FanDuel to reimburse them for some or all of the approximately $20 million in stolen proceeds a former employee lost on the site, but the company is unwilling to pay, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN," ESPN said in February.

"Amit Patel, a midlevel finance manager, has pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million through a virtual credit card system the Jaguars used for expenses. Sources with knowledge of the case told ESPN that Patel lost about $20 million of the funds on daily fantasy and sports bets at FanDuel, which had assigned him a VIP host. He lost about $1 million on DraftKings, sources said."

According to The Athletic, Patel allegedly stole the money by “exploiting the organization’s virtual credit card program.” Patel allegedly used the money to buy two vehicles, a condominium, and a designer watch, among other things. He also allegedly purchased cryptocurrency, placed bets with online gambling sites, and chartered personal jets."

“We can confirm that in February 2023, the team terminated the employment of the individual named in the filing,” the team said in a statement, per The Athletic.

“Over the past several months we have cooperated fully with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida during their investigation and thank them for their efforts in this case. As was made clear in the charges, this individual was a former manager of financial planning and analysis who took advantage of his trusted position to covertly and intentionally commit significant fraudulent financial activity at the team’s expense for personal benefit. This individual had no access to confidential football strategy, personnel or other football information. The team engaged experienced law and accounting firms to conduct a comprehensive independent review, which concluded that no other team employees were involved in or aware of his criminal activity.”

Patel worked for the Jaguars for five years, starting in 2018. Patel is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of illegal monetary transactions in documents filed in a U.S. District Court in Jacksonville. 

---

• Follow and like us on Facebook.
• Submit your questions for our mailbag.
• Subscribe to the Jaguars On SI Podcast on Apple and Spotify.
• Check out the Jaguars On SI YouTube Channel.