A former Jacksonville Jaguars employee who stole $22 million from the team is suing FanDuel for $250 million.
Amit Patel filed a civil lawsuit against FanDuel in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday. The lawsuit, obtained by ESPN, claims the sportsbook app “exploited” Patel’s gambling addiction.
The complaint further states that FanDuel intentionally ignored its responsible gaming and anti-money laundering protocols.
Patel’s lawyer said FanDuel allowed his client to continue gambling excessive amounts of money despite Patel exhibiting clear signs of a gambling addiction.
According to court documents, Patel transferred approximately $20 million to FanDuel from bank accounts he controlled.
FanDuel gave Patel $1.1 million in credits as well as trips to major sporting events to reward him for being a Super High Roller.
Patel’s attorney, Matthew Litt, said the incentives and gifts from FanDuel encouraged his client to continue indulging his gambling sickness.
“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,” Litt wrote in the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that FanDuel’s VIP host, Brett Krause, contacted Patel on multiple occasions to find out why he wasn’t gambling on those days.
Krause acknowledged that they were “breaking AML [anti-money laundering protocol],” the lawsuit says.
Krause even moved certain texts with Patel to his personal cell phone “to avoid detection by FanDuel’s compliance personnel,” according to the complaint.
Patel, 31, is asking for $250 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
Patel pleaded guilty in March 2024 to wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction. He admitted to stealing $22,221,454.40 from the Jacksonville Jaguars over 3.5 years while he managed the team’s virtual credit card program.
Federal prosecutors claimed Patel used the money to live a luxury lifestyle. Patel gambled away most of the money he stole from his employer.
Another Patel lawyer, Alex King, said Patel received treatment for his gambling addiction and participated in Gamblers Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Patel founded Round Robin Recovery LLC to help others with gambling addictions.
The Jaguars fired Patel in February. He was sentenced to 6.5 years to be served at the Williamsburg federal prison in South Carolina.
In July, the Jaguars sued Patel in Florida state court, asking for $66.6 million in damages. ESPN previously reported that the Jaguars asked FanDuel to refund the $20 million in stolen gambling profits.
