Jacksonville Jaguars | Ex-employee faces legal action after stealing $22million from team

Ex-employee faces legal action after stealing $22million from team

A former financial manager for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Amit Patel, is facing serious legal consequences after being accused of embezzling over $22million from the franchise.

The alleged fraudulent activities took place through the team's virtual credit card program over a period spanning from 2019 to 2023.

Patel, who worked with the Jaguars for five years, now faces charges of wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions, potentially leading to the forfeiture of ill-gotten assets.

The seven-page court filing, recently submitted in the U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, outlines the accusations against Patel. The court documents detail how Patel, employed by the Jaguars from 2018 to 2023, exploited his position as the manager of financial planning and analysis to carry out significant fraudulent financial activities for personal gain.

The Jacksonville Jaguars confirmed their status as the victim in the case, identifying themselves as "Business A" in the court documents. In a statement, the team acknowledged Patel's termination in February 2023 and expressed cooperation with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office during the investigation.

The team emphasized that Patel had no access to sensitive football-related information and that an independent review found no involvement or awareness of the criminal activity among other team employees.

According to court documents, Patel is accused of utilizing the misappropriated funds for various personal expenses. Some notable purchases include a Tesla Model 3 sedan, a Nissan pickup truck, a condominium in Ponte Vedra Beach, and a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch worth $95,000.

Additionally, Patel allegedly invested in cryptocurrency and used the money for online gambling, sports memorabilia, spa treatments, tickets to sporting events and concerts, as well as chartering private jets for himself and friends.

Patel's role in overseeing the team's virtual credit card program gave him the authority to make fraudulent transactions. The court filing suggests that Patel duplicated and inflated transactions for items like catering, airfare, and hotel charges.

To conceal his illicit activities, he allegedly created integration files with false and fraudulent entries, manipulating the total dollar amount to match the balances paid by the team for the virtual credit card program.

Patel is now facing charges of wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. If convicted, he may be required to forfeit property and assets acquired with the embezzled funds. The severity of the charges could lead to significant legal consequences, including potential imprisonment.

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