A former Jacksonville Jaguars govt stole $22 million from the NFL group and used the cash to fund a luxurious life-style that included a Tesla, non-public jet journey and a $95,000 Patek Philippe Nautilus watch, in keeping with US prosecutors.
The chief, Amit Patel, processed fraudulent bank card transactions from September 2019 till he was fired in February, in keeping with expenses filed Tuesday in Jacksonville, Florida. Patel is charged with wire fraud and with partaking in an unlawful monetary transaction.
Patel, the group’s former supervisor of monetary planning and evaluation, agreed to waive his proper to be charged in a felony indictment, in keeping with a courtroom doc, a transfer that usually alerts an settlement to plead responsible. The case was first reported in The Athletic.
The legal expenses don’t point out the Jaguars, referring to Patel’s former employer solely as “Business A.” However the group confirmed that it was the sufferer of Patel’s alleged fraud.
Patel took benefit of his job to “covertly and intentionally commit significant fraudulent financial activity at the team’s expense for personal benefit,” the Jaguars stated in an announcement.
Alex King, Patel’s lawyer, didn’t instantly return cellphone and e-mail messages looking for remark.
The Jaguars stated the group has cooperated with investigators and employed accountants and legislation corporations to assessment the transactions. No different workers have been conscious of the fraud and Patel had no entry to confidential soccer technique or different info.
The Jaguars, with eight wins and 4 losses, presently lead the AFC South division of the Nationwide Soccer League.
Digital Credit score Card
Prosecutors declare Patel oversaw the group’s digital bank card program, which allowed some workers to cost bills with no bodily bank card. Every month it was Patel’s job to create a file accounting for the costs from the previous month.
Patel created information with fraudulent entries, inventing phony transactions, transferring up authentic expenses from future months and inflating some expenses, together with for catering, airfare and resorts, in keeping with the federal government.
Prosecutors declare Patel spent the thousands and thousands he stole from the group on web playing, a condominium close to Florida’s Ponte Vedra Seashore and for personal jet journey and luxurious lodging for himself and mates.
He purchased a brand new Tesla Mannequin 3 sedan and a Nissan pickup truck, cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens, sports activities memorabilia, a rustic membership membership, tickets to sporting occasions and high-end watches, together with the Patek Philippe.
Patel additionally allegedly used stolen cash to rent a private coach and a legal protection lawyer.
