Amit Patel, 32, was admitted into the Duval County Jail Tuesday afternoon on the six charges of grand theft.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars who is currently serving a 6.5-year sentence in federal prison for embezzling $22 million from the team now confronts six state-level charges of grand theft, according to court documents.
The jail log from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office indicates that 32-year-old Amit Patel was booked into the Duval County Jail on Tuesday afternoon due to these six grand theft allegations. According to the log, he has not been offered bail.
Patel was found guilty of federal charges of wire fraud and engaging in illegal monetary actions.
Patel managed to misappropriate $22 million from 2019 through 2023 by camouflaging his lavish spending and gambling as bogus transactions on the team’s monthly expense reports.
Patel started embezzling funds just after his first year working as an administrator for the Jaguars’ virtual credit card program.
“I’m embarrassed, ashamed, and disappointed by my actions,” Patel said at his sentencing. “In the end, I thought the next big win was around the corner, and it would solve all my issues.”
After he finishes his 78-month-long sentence in federal prison, Patel will be on supervised release for two years. He is mandated to enroll in a substance abuse program, seek mental health treatment and be prohibited from any gambling facility or activities.
Additionally, Patel is ordered to pay back $21,132,454.40 to the Jags, required to pay at least $250 once he’s on parole, and 50% of his monthly salary if he is able to find employment.
Nearly a year ago, on July 18, 2024, the Jaguars sued Patel for $66.7 million — about three times the theft that landed him in federal prison.
The team accuses Patel of fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty and civil theft in the lawsuit filed in the Duval County Circuit Court.
FBI Jacksonville released a statement following Patel’s sentencing:
“This case exemplifies the FBI’s relentless effort to protect American companies and their customers. Amit Patel knowingly and wittingly created a deceptive scheme to fund a lavish lifestyle at his employer’s expense, and today’s sentencing is a warning to other scam artists: the FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue corporate fraud investigations to protect consumers from bearing the costs associated with criminal activity.” – Mark Dargis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division
The FBI did an extensive investigation into Patel’s personal financial history, along with reviewing every item he purchased with the Jags business credit cards. They found that Patel also embezzled funds from his previous employer.
