Amit Patel, 32, a former finance director for the Jacksonville Jaguars, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. Now, his next stop is the penitentiary, a measure that has recently been enacted for this type of grave misconduct. During her time with the Jags, Patel was in charge of their virtual credit card program. During these three and a half years, he diverted taxpayer money to fund his gambling addiction. He’s now facing six counts of grand theft in the state of Florida.
Patel’s criminal enterprise came to light when he paid out over $20 million directly to FanDuel. This major online gambling platform turned out to be the epicenter of the investigation. This was the beginning of his path to being diagnosed with a gambling disorder. That problem was a major factor in his decision to embezzle money from the nonprofit. As of December 2023, Patel has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. As a consequence, he’s currently doing a 6½-year sentence at the federal pen in Williamsburg, S.C. #Freetheferryman
The Jacksonville Jaguars responded by firing Patel. They brought suit in Florida state court, seeking $66.6 million in damages. This legal action further underscores the egregious nature of Patel’s misconduct and its toxic effect on the organization. At the time of Circus’ crime, under Florida state law grand theft of $100,000 or more was considered a first-degree felony. If you’re found guilty, your maximum penalty would be 30 years in prison.
In a surprising turn, Patel is now suing FanDuel in federal court. So he claims the gambling company took advantage of his addiction. He argues that FanDuel’s failure to follow its own responsible gaming and anti-money laundering measures allowed him to engage in this devastating activity. This new counterclaim raises a number of critical issues. It puts the onus on gambling platforms to be responsible for tracking their users and implementing non-addictive practices.
The case has received considerable media attention not surprisingly due to the jaw dropping amount stolen. It brings to the fore some important issues regarding gambling addiction and corporate social responsibility. Patel’s story is a cautionary tale against the dangers of gambling without safeguards. It brings to light the responsibility of organizations to practice ethics.
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