The former Jacksonville Jaguars employee who embezzled more than $22 million from the NFL franchise is taking legal action against FanDuel and its owner.
According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District for the Southern District of New York, Amit Patel is suing FanDuel, its owner Flutter Entertainment, Fox Corp. and Boyd Gaming for allegedly fostering his gambling addiction by incentivizing play. Patel alleges FanDuel and the other defendants in the suit “actively and intentionally targeted and preyed” on him leading him to gamble more than $20 million over a four-year period.
Patel illegally used the Jaguars’ virtual credit card (VCC) to transfer the money to FanDuel. He also spent millions on expensive gifts and trips including a $95,000 Patek Philippe wristwatch. Patel also used the VCC to spend more than $75,000 on private jets, $278,000 on vacation travel, and $47,113 on a putter used by golf legend Tiger Woods in 1996.
In the suit, Patel alleges FanDuel showered him with more than a million dollars in credits, unique experiences and lavish gifts despite being aware of his gambling addiction. He alleges FanDuel knew about his gambling problem due to data collected by the company. The data includes deposits, the amount wagered per bet, and the frequency of bets.
FanDuel and the defendants allegedly ignored their responsible gaming protocols and circumvented anti-money laundering, due diligence, and Know Your Customer standards.
“To be clear, this suit does not allege liability on the basis that defendants passively permitted an addicted gambler to use its platform,” says Patel’s attorney Matthew Litt in the complaint. “Rather, this suit alleges violation of statutory and common law because 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.”
According to the complaint, FanDuel and the defendants allegedly exacerbated Patel’s gambling by violating the Florida Deceptive Practices and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Patel alleges FanDuel and the defendants violated the law by offering him enticements to continue gambling. The enticements allegedly included an all-expense reimbursed trip to Miami for the Formula One Grand Prix. FanDuel and the other defendants also paid for a trip to the Masters in 2021 and 2022. Patel was also allegedly provided with a trip to the Super Bowl and suite at the College Football National Championship game in 2023.
Patel also alleges FanDuel developed a personal relationship with him despite his problem.
FanDuel assigned Patel a VIP host, Brett Krause, who frequently communicated with the former Jaguars employee. Between 2021 and 2023, Krause and Patel allegedly “often communicated as much as 100 times every day,” according to the complaint. Krause also allegedly offered Patel free fantasy contest entries if he met certain wagering thresholds.
Patel is seeking $250 million in compensatory and punitive damages but the Florida native is still dealing with the legal repercussions of his actions as a Jaguars employee.
In March, Patel was sentenced to more than six years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in an illegal monetary transaction over his misuse of the team’s VCC and falsifying records between 2019 and 2023. Patel originally faced up to 30 years in prison and has been ordered to pay $21.1 million in restitution.
He will also serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence. Patel is currently serving his 78-month sentence at FCI Williamsburg in South Carolina.
SBC Americas reached out to FanDuel regarding the suit. The operator does not comment on pending litigation.
Jaguars take Patel to court
The NFL franchise has also taken legal action in response to Patel’s stealing.
In July, the Jaguars filed a suit against Patel in Duval County Circuit Court for misusing the team’s VCC. The team is accusing Patel of civil theft, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraudulent misrepresentation. As a result, the Jaguars are suing Patel for $66.7 million.
Active Florida law allows plaintiffs in successful suits to recover up to three times the actual damages included in the case for those seeking full compensation.
As of July 2024, the Jaguars have recovered $261,232 following the sale of Patel’s condo in Ponte Vedra Beach but he is ordered to pay the team $250 a month as a repayment plan.
If the Jaguars are successful in their suit against Patel, the team will be able to directly seize assets purchased by Patel without having to go through the federal government.
