Ex-Jaguars Employee Facing Additional Charges From Theft Scheme

More trouble is in store for the ex-Jacksonville Jaguars employee who pled guilty to stealing $22 million through a virtual credit card system the team used for expenses.

Former Jaguars employee Amit Patel was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison in March 2024 after pleading guilty to wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction, with $21 million of the stolen funds going to gambling sites.

Now, Patel is facing state charges on top of the federal ones that he is already serving time for.

According to records from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Patel has been charged with six counts of grand theft related to the funds embezzled from the franchise.

According to a report from The Athletic in December 2023, 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.

Megha Parekh, the Jaguars' senior vice president and chief legal officer, read a statement on behalf of the franchise when Patel was sentenced in March.

"We gave him his dream job. We trusted him. We worked with him. We broke bread with him. We went through a pandemic and the highs and lows of the NFL with him ... He betrayed us," she said.

"We take no joy in his punishment. Make no mistake, Amit broke our hearts."