Former Jaguars Employee Who Stole $22 Million Reveals Gambling Addiction in Court Filing

Amit Patel, the former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars who pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million from the team, has filed a sentencing memo in which he disclosed his struggles with gambling addiction. Patel admitted to using a company credit card to gamble while working at Deloitte in 2017. He incurred gambling debts but managed to repay them with the help of his older brother before being caught.

The fact that Patel voluntarily admitted to his past behavior is being presented by his attorney, Alex King, as one of the mitigating factors that should result in a lighter sentence. King is proposing punishments ranging from probation to one year in prison for the two felony charges of wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction. The recommended sentence by federal prosecutors is seven years.

In the filing, King highlighted multiple instances of childhood trauma, substance abuse, and gambling addiction as contributing factors to Patel's behavior. The memo states that Patel began gambling online during high school, even using his mother's credit card to play at casinos and poker rooms while in college. Patel was diagnosed with a gambling disorder in March 2023, a month after being fired by the Jaguars, and has since sought treatment and joined Gamblers Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

"I'm glad that I got caught," Patel expressed in the filing. "Although I have much trust to restore in the community, I now see the situation as a way to help as many others as I can who have addictions and problems with gambling. I realize that because it happened to me, it can happen to anybody."

The court filing also mentions the deaths of several close family members, including an uncle who was killed by a white supremacist in the aftermath of 9/11. Additionally, it reveals incidents of abuse and being stalked during Patel's high school years. Substance abuse involving alcohol, marijuana, and Adderall is also mentioned as contributing to Patel's troubled past.

However, prosecutors have refuted King's assertion that Patel's behavior was solely fueled by gambling addiction. In their own sentencing memo, they stated that only "$5 million went to his personal expenses," while the rest of the stolen funds were used for various expenditures, including significant sums spent at Apple, Amazon, and Best Buy. Patel also reportedly transferred $20 million to FanDuel and $1 million to DraftKings, using the remaining stolen money for miscellaneous purchases.

Even after being fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars in February 2023, Patel continued to spend the embezzled funds. He paid annual dues at his country club and even purchased a game-used Trevor Lawrence jersey on eBay for $2,200, just days after charges were filed against him and shortly before he pleaded guilty.

"The defendant was a trusted and valued member of the Jaguars organization," the prosecution wrote in their filing. "He betrayed that trust and stole over $22 million through hundreds of fraudulent transactions, which he skillfully concealed for over three years. He did not need that money. He did not use it for the well-being of his family or for any charitable cause. He used it for his own enjoyment – gambling, traveling, and shopping. Given these circumstances, a lengthy prison sentence is warranted."

Amit Patel is set to be sentenced on Tuesday, where U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams Jr. will consider the arguments presented by both the defense and the prosecution.