The Jacksonville Jaguars will receive partial compensation from FanDuel over one year after a gambling scandal shook up their organization. The deal settles the infamous case involving ex-employee Amit Patel, who stole over $20 million from the team during his tenure, most of which was used to place wagers.
FanDuel has reportedly agreed to give $5 million back to the Jaguars, according to ESPN's Xuan Thai and Don Van Natta Jr. Jacksonville initially wanted all $20 million back, a claim that the sports betting company patently denied before agreeing to give back part of the funds.
Patel worked in the team's finance department using its virtual credit card program. He admitted to wiring money to his personal accounts to place sizable wagers on sports games, hoping to eventually repay the amount he had stolen. Patel claims he made over 1,000 deposits to FanDuel Sportsbook, each roughly $25,000.
Although FanDuel believes it did nothing wrong on its end, the NFL requested that the company refund the losses. The NFL did not intervene in discussions, but FanDuel obliged, in hopes that it could maintain its positive relationship with the league, according to ESPN.
FanDuel is one of the many betting sponsors of the NFL, but is arguably the most prominent. The company recently launched its ‘Kick of Destiny' promotion during the Super Bowl, and streams several popular programs on the FanDuel Sports Network, namely the ‘Up & Adams Show' with fan-favorite host Kay Adams.
Jaguars' Amit Patel FanDuel gambling fiasco fallout
Since the case broke ground, Patel has been arrested on charges of wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction and sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison. He has since been given an additional charge of one count of organized fraud in the first degree, a crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison in Florida.
The bizarre situation led to a series of lawsuits. The Jaguars sued Patel for $66 million in damages before the disgraced employee sued FanDuel in federal court. Patel accused the sportsbook of exploiting his gambling addiction, an accusation that has been disputed due to his lavish lifestyle.
Patel reportedly lived in a luxury residence, owned a country club membership and was fond of purchasing expensive accessories. However, he has since been diagnosed with a gambling disorder, per ESPN.
