Former Jaguars financial manager pleads guilty to stealing $22M, facing up to 30 years in prison

A 31-year-old former Jacksonville Jaguars financial manager accused of stealing more than $22 million from the NFL franchise through its virtual credit card program pleaded guilty to federal charges Thursday and faces up to 30 years in prison.

Amit Patel, wearing a dark suit and a burgundy tie, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in an illegal monetary transaction in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville. As part of his plea agreement, he will forfeit property and assets funded with the money he admittedly stole from the NFL franchise between 2019 and 2023. He also will be required to provide restitution to the victim.

He will be formally sentenced at a later date.

Patel and his attorney, Alex King of First Coast Criminal Defense in Jacksonville, declined comment afterward. Patel appeared to have no family members or friends at the hearing. More than a dozen people were in the gallery, including several media members and two sketch artists.

Patel’s high school math teacher, Sue-Ann Hershey, who has since retired from Paxon School for Advanced Studies, showed up for moral support and approached Patel afterward and told him she was praying for him.

Patel was released on a $10,000 signature bond and ordered to surrender his passport. He also was ordered not to have any contact with “employees of the victim” and won’t be allowed to leave the middle district of Florida while he awaits his sentence.

King said last week that Patel had gambled away “approximately 99%” of the misappropriated money. Patel said in court he is undergoing weekly treatment for a gambling addiction.

Patel had been gambling on prominent websites at the Jaguars’ facility, which triggered an NFL investigation. The NFL met with Patel in February and then turned the case over to the FBI. The Jaguars subsequently suspended and eventually fired Patel, who began working for the team in 2018.

During his tenure, Patel rose to manager of financial planning and analysis. He…

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Publish date : 2023-12-14 21:57:35

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