Former Jacksonville Jaguars employee Amit Patel, 31, has been sentenced to 78 months in prison for embezzling $22 million from the team. Patel, who pleaded guilty in December to wire fraud and making illegal transactions, used the stolen money on personal purchases like luxury items, cars, private flights, and real estate, as well as sports gambling sites.
According to court documents, Patel made fake purchases and transactions unrelated to the team’s business, covering up the scheme with false accounting entries and duplicating legitimate transactions. His lawyers stated that he had a gambling addiction and lost nearly all of the stolen money on betting losses.
The sentencing judge gave him 78 months in prison, close to the lower end of the advised range, as prosecutors had asked for 84 months. The Jaguars’ chief legal officer expressed disappointment and betrayal at Patel’s actions, stating that the team had trusted and supported him.
Patel’s spending included a new Tesla, a golf putter used by Tiger Woods, a Patek Philippe wristwatch, and private travel. The team is now looking to recover the stolen funds and move forward from this incident.
Patel faced a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for his crimes. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of proper financial oversight and the potential consequences of embezzlement within organizations.
