FanDuel set to pay Jaguars roughly $5m to offset $20m gambling theft
Although the deal has not been publicly confirmed by either side, it follows the Jaguars’ former financial manager using a virtual credit card system to filter money out of the team and into the sportsbook for his own gambling habits.
Key points:
– FanDuel is reportedly planning on paying the Jacksonville Jaguars $5m
– This is to help the team after a former employee stole $20m and gambled it on the sportsbook
– Amit Patel is currently serving a six-year prison sentence in South Carolina
According to sources close to those involved, FanDuel has agreed to pay the Jacksonville Jaguars around $5m.
This is to offset the damage caused by former NFL financial manager Amit Patel, who pleaded guilty on 14 December 2024 to committing wire fraud and engaging in an illegal monetary transaction.
He embezzled around $22m to fund his gambling habits and was sentenced to more than six years in a federal prison in South Carolina.
It is believed that FanDuel offered the amount to the team, as the operator is one of the NFL’s official gambling partners and the relationship could have soured into an expensive legal battle if not repaired immediately.
The source has remained anonymous as neither FanDuel, the Jaguars, nor the NFL has released official statements on the deal yet.
Good to know: Patel also used the funds to purchase a condo in Ponte Vedra Beach, flights on private jets for himself and friends, new cars, spa treatments and luxury watches
Mark Dargis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division said: “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.”
However, Patel claimed that FanDuel ‘preyed’ on him and ignored several industry protocols to allow him to keep playing.
According to Patel, FanDuel was aware that he was an employee of the NFL and was therefore excluded from gambling, as well as knowing that the $20m he wagered over years did not come from reputable sources.
Elsewhere in the company’s operations, FanDuel recently partnered with CME Group to launch prediction markets in the US.
Gambling Insider delivers the latest industry news, in-depth features, and operator reviews that you can trust. Our team combines rigorous editorial standards with decades of specialized expertise to ensure accuracy and fairness. We are committed to delivering clear, impartial, and dependable coverage across the global gambling sector.
