Last Updated: December 08, 2023, 15:17 IST
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
Amit Patel (left), who labored for the Jacksonville Jaguars (brand on left) for 5 years beginning in 2018, is charged with one rely of wire fraud and one rely of unlawful financial transaction in paperwork filed in US District Court in Jacksonville. (Image Credit: X)
Former Jacksonville Jaguars supervisor faces wire fraud fees, accused of misusing $22 million for private bills. Legal proceedings ongoing
An Indian-origin former monetary supervisor of a well-liked American soccer crew has been charged with fraud for allegedly racking up over $22 million from the franchise in fraudulent bank card purchases to fund a lavish life-style, in accordance to charging paperwork filed by federal prosecutors Tuesday.
Amit Patel, who labored for the Jacksonville Jaguars for 5 years beginning in 2018, is charged with one rely of wire fraud and one rely of unlawful financial transaction in paperwork filed in US District Court in Jacksonville. Patel was the only administrator of the crew’s digital bank card (VCC) programme and used this place to move off private purchases as enterprise bills.
Tesla, Nissan and Ponte
Patel is accused of utilizing the cash to purchase a Tesla Model 3 sedan, a Nissan pickup truck, a condominium in Ponte Vedra Beach, a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch for USD 95,000, and cryptocurrency, CBS News reported. The Jaguars are recognized in court docket data as solely “Business A” however confirmed in a assertion that they had been impacted by the alleged crimes of Patel, who was fired in February.
“Over the past several months we have cooperated fully with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida during their investigation and thank them for their efforts in this case,” the crew mentioned in a assertion “As was made clear in the charges, this individual was a former manager of financial planning and analysis who took advantage of his trusted position to covertly and intentionally commit significant fraudulent financial activity at the team’s expense for personal benefit. This individual had no access to confidential football strategy, personnel or other football information, it said.
The team engaged experienced law and accounting firms to conduct a comprehensive independent review, which concluded that no other team employees were involved in or aware of his criminal activity. Patel’s attorney, Alex King, said that his client intends to plead guilty to the charges and ”is deeply remorseful and apologises for his conduct”, USA Today newspaper reported.
According to King, Patel “suffers from a serious gambling addiction” and roughly 99 % of the misappropriated funds from the Jaguars’ digital bank card programme had been playing losses. “Mr Patel did not use the Jaguars’ VCC to fund his lifestyle, but in a horribly misguided effort to pay back previous gambling losses that utilised the Jaguars’ VCC programme,” King mentioned. Patel’s authority over the VCC program allowed him to make the fraudulent transactions, the submitting mentioned. He allegedly duplicated and inflated transactions for gadgets resembling catering, airfare and resort fees and filed pretend transactions that appeared legit.
(With company inputs)
