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A former Jacksonville Jaguars executive accused of stealing $22 million from the team is now suing FanDuel.
Amit Patel was fired by the Jaguars in February 2022. He was also accused of siphoning team funds for personal travel and a condo purchase.
Patel was a mid-level employee who worked for the Jaguars from 2018-23. He allegedly created fraudulent charges on the club’s virtual credit card and then covered his tracks by sending falsified files to the team’s accounting department.
Patel was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of illegal monetary transaction in documents filed in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville.
Other items Patel is alleged to have used the ill-gotten fees on included a Tesla Model 3 sedan, a Nissan pickup truck, a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch for $95,000, and an unknown amount of cryptocurrency.
The Jaguars were named as "Business A" in the court documents as confirmed by the NFL franchise.
"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. "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 sued FanDuel, the largest online sportsbook company in the regulated U.S. market, in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday. He claims the sportsbook "exploited" his gambling addiction and intentionally ignored its responsible gaming and anti-money laundering protocols.
The civil suit alleges that FanDuel incentivized Patel to keep playing daily fantasy sports, including offering lavish trips and $1.1 million in credits, despite Patel exhibiting signs of problem gambling.
"Defendants actively and intentionally targeted and preyed on Plaintiff with incentives, credits, and gifts to create, nurture, expedite, and/or exacerbate his addiction with the only possible outcome that he would ultimately hit rock bottom," Patel's attorney, Matthew Litt, wrote in the complaint.
Patel, 31, is asking for $250 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
FanDuel declined comment, citing company policy about discussing pending litigation.
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