15 months after being jailed for $22,000,000 fraud, ex- Jaguars FM Amit Patel hit with new felony charges over looting team for gambling spree

The scandal surrounding Amit Patel, former Jacksonville Jaguars finance manager, has escalated, per the latest ESPN reports. Patel ran the team’s virtual credit card (VCC) program from 2019 to 2023.

He stole over $22,000,000 from the Jaguars between 2019 and 2023 using the team’s virtual credit card system. He disguised bogus charges as legitimate expenses like hotel stays and airfare and funneled the money into FanDuel gambling accounts luxury purchases (watches, cars, crypto, and even Tiger Woods memorabilia) and private jets and condos in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Patel pleaded guilty to wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions in December 2023. He was sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison in March 2024, plus 3 years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $21.1 million in restitution to the team.

This week, Patel has been hit with six new felony grand theft charges in Florida, each tied to thefts of over $100K.

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"The Jaguars appreciate the state's efforts to pursue justice. We remain diligent in the same pursuit," an AFC South team's representative said on Friday.

Patel could face up to 30 years in prison per count, potentially adding decades to his ongoing sentence.

Patel is suing FanDuel for $250 million, claiming they exploited his gambling addiction. He allegedly received VIP treatment, gifts and constant contact up to 100 calls a day.

Quick look at ex-Jaguars Finance Manager, Amit Patel's background

Amit Patel got his MBA in Accounting from Florida State University (2015–2017). He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Flagler College and went to Paxon School for Advanced Studies from 2007–2011.

As per Rocket Reach, before working for the Jaguars, he worked at Deloitte as an Assurance Associate. In 2017, Patel was an Accounting Coordinator at The Zimmerman Agency. In 2016, he worked at Apple as an AppleCare Advisor.

Patel joined the NFL team in 2018 as a coordinator in financial planning and analysis. He rose to become manager of financial planning and analysis, overseeing monthly financial statements, departmental budgets and the team’s Virtual Credit Card (VCC) program, which he later exploited.

By 2019, Patel was the sole administrator of the VCC system. He had the authority to approve new accounts, modify credit limits and categorize transactions in business reports.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash