Former Jaguars financial manager pleads guilty to stealing $22M, faces up to 30 years in prison

A 31-year-old former Jacksonville Jaguars monetary supervisor accused of stealing greater than $22 million from the NFL franchise via its digital bank card program pleaded responsible to federal costs Thursday and faces as much as 30 years in jail.

Amit Patel, carrying a darkish swimsuit and a burgundy tie, pleaded responsible to 1 depend of wire fraud and one depend of partaking in an unlawful financial transaction in U.S. District Court docket in Jacksonville. As a part of his plea settlement, he must forfeit property and belongings funded with the cash he admittedly stole from the NFL franchise between 2019 and 2023. He additionally shall be required to offer restitution to the sufferer.

He shall be formally sentenced at a later date.

Patel and his lawyer, Alex King of First Coast Legal Protection in Jacksonville, declined remark after the listening to.

King stated final week that Patel had gambled away “roughly 99%” of the misappropriated cash. Patel stated in court docket he’s present process weekly therapy for a playing dependancy.

Patel had been playing on distinguished web sites on the Jaguars’ facility, which triggered an NFL investigation. The NFL met with Patel in February after which turned the case over to the FBI. The Jaguars subsequently suspended and ultimately fired Patel, who started working for the crew in 2018.

Throughout his tenure, Patel rose to supervisor of economic planning and evaluation. He oversaw the corporate’s month-to-month monetary statements and division budgets and served because the membership’s administrator of its digital bank card program, which allowed approved staff to “request VCC’s for business-related purchases or bills.”

Being in charge of the VCC program allowed Patel to make fraudulent transactions, based on court docket submitting in opposition to him. He allegedly duplicated and inflated transactions for gadgets comparable to catering, airfare and resort costs and filed pretend transactions that appeared legit.

Patel stored playing in hopes of profitable again his cash and repaying the misappropriated funds, his lawyer stated.

Patel was accused of utilizing the cash to purchase two autos, a condominium in close by Ponte Vedra Seaside, a designer look ahead to $95,000 and cryptocurrency, based on the submitting. As a part of the plea settlement, he should forfeit the property, a 2021 Tesla and the watch to the federal government.

He additionally allegedly used the cash to purchase sports activities memorabilia, a rustic membership membership, spa remedies and tickets to sporting occasions and concert events. He additionally chartered non-public jets for himself and pals — together with some Jaguars co-workers — and lodged a retainer with a prison protection regulation agency, based on the submitting.