Former Jacksonville Jaguars worker used $22M of team's funds to purchase Tesla, new home, private jets: DOJ
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - JANUARY 14: JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - JANUARY 14: A general view of the 50-yard line with the Jacksonville Jaguars logo on the field prior to an AFC Wild Card playoff game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Cha
FLORIDA - A former Jacksonville Jaguars employee was sentenced to prison for embezzling 22 million dollars from the team to fund his luxurious lifestyle from 2019 to 2023, the Department of Justice said.
Amit Patel, 31, embezzled $22,221,454 from the NFL team for nearly four years by using the team's virtual credit card program to make hundreds of purchases and transactions not intended for the team's purpose.
The scheme began in September 2019 when Patel placed bets with online gambling websites, purchased a condominium, chartered private jets, booked luxury hotels, and bought a new Tesla Model 3 sedan and Nissan pickup truck.
Other purchases Patel made include:
- Payment to a criminal defense law firm
- Cryptocurrency
- Non-fungible tokens
- Electronics
- Sports memorabilia
- Country club membership
- Spa treatments
- Concert and sporting event tickets
- Home furnishings
- Luxury wrist watches
To hide the purchases from his employer, Patel would create accounting files that contained several false and fraudulent entries and email them to the Jaguar's accounting department. Patel would hide the transactions by identifying legitimate recurring credit card transactions, such as catering and airfare, then duplicate those transactions.
He also moved legitimate credit card transactions from upcoming months into the month of the accounting file that was immediately due to the accounting department.
Patel was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison and was ordered to pay full restitution to the Jacksonville Jaguars.