'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Amit Patel, the former Jacksonville Jaguars employee who allegedly stole over $22 million from the franchise has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison.
Patel had used Jacksonville's virtual credit card to make purchases when he was employed with the Jaguars from 2018 to 2023. According to reports, Patel used those funds to live a lavish lifestyle and also purchased watches, cars, and cryptocurrency.
In a December plea agreement, Patel acknowledged wire fraud and unlawful money transactions. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida delivered the punishment on Tuesday.
Details on Amit Patel's involvement in $22 million scam
It was in February of 2023 when Amit Patel was terminated from his position as the financial manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Before being elevated to the position of manager, he began his career as a coordinator.
In the course of his work, he was granted access to the departmental budgets and financial accounts of the team. To provide funds for business-related activities, Patel oversaw the Jaguars' virtual credit card (VCC) program, which was available to authorized personnel.
According to the document filed with the court, Amit Patel took advantage of his access to the VCC program in order to engage in fraudulent activities beginning in September 2019. According to the allegations, he concealed the transactions by replicating regular transactions such as expenses for hotel stays and airfare.
Earlier it was also reported that the Jacksonville Jaguars had asked FanDuel to reimburse some amount of the $20 million that Patel used on their platform.
As per Jacksonville.com, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Coolican wrote this about Patel in the sentencing memo:
"(Patel) undoubtedly loves to gamble and lost the bulk of the money that he stole doing it ... But he also likes to live well and have other people pay for it,”
After serving his sentence, Patel will be required to make restitution of $21.1 million and will be placed on supervised release for three years.
