A former Jacksonville Jaguars employee serving prison time for stealing more than $22 million from the NFL franchise is suing a sports betting company he claims preyed on his gambling addiction.
Amit Patel, 31, was sentenced earlier this year to 6½ years in federal prison after he was found guilty of stealing millions from the Jaguars via the team’s virtual credit card program from 2019 to 2023.
A Jacksonville Jaguars helmet on the sideline before a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins at EverBank Stadium Aug. 26, 2023, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Prosecutors say Patel used the stolen money to fund a lavish lifestyle that included purchasing properties and chartering private jets, but the bulk of the money was spent on online sports gambling.
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At the time of his sentencing, Patel admitted to having a gambling addiction.
On Tuesday, the former employee filed a $250 million lawsuit against FanDuel, alleging the company ignored its own responsible gambling and anti-money laundering protocols and was aware that Patel was an employee of the NFL and that money was not legitimately acquired.
“The complaint certainly does not claim the addicted gambler is blameless, but the suit does try to apportion responsibility in a way that accounts for FanDuel’s very active involvement in his gambling addiction,” Patel’s lawyer, Matthew Litt, told The Associated Press.
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ logo on the field prior to an AFC wild-card playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers at TIAA Bank Field Jan. 14, 2023, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
EX-JAGUARS EMPLOYEE SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 6 YEARS IN PRISON FOR $22 MILLION EMBEZZLEMENT SCHEME
According to the complaint, Patel transferred $20 million to his FanDuel account and claimed the betting company gave him over $1.1 million in credits, in addition to trips to major sporting events. The complaint also alleges a personal host would contact him up to 100 times a day.
“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,” the complaint says, according to ESPN.
In this photo illustration, the FanDuel logo appears on a smartphone. (Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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The Jaguars fired Patel in early 2023, but he’s accused of continuing to spend the stolen money even after his firing. He pleaded guilty in December to felony wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions.
FanDuel didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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