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 6 1/2-year sentence at Williamsburg federal prison in South Carolina after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions in December 2023. 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 3 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 civil lawsuit against FanDuel in federal court claiming the sportsbook "exploited" his gambling addiction and intentionally ignored its responsible gaming and anti-money laundering protocols. According to court documents, he transferred approximately $20 million to FanDuel.
Amit has said he was previously diagnosed with a gambling disorder according to court filing and was a preyed upon by the gambling site.
The Jaguars declined comment Thursday. An attorney for Patel did not immediately respond to inquiries from ESPN.
ESPN staff writer David Purdum contributed to this report.
