DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. – Former Jacksonville Jaguars employee Amit Patel, who is currently serving 6 1/2 years in a federal prison for stealing more than $22 million from the team over three years, is expected to appear in Duval County court on Thursday morning.
Patel is set to be arraigned on one count of organized fraud.
In July, Patel, 32, was transferred from Federal Prison Camp Montgomery, a minimum-security federal prison, and admitted into the Duval County jail to face the new state charges, according to jail records. He was originally charged with six counts of grand theft. But those charges were dropped and he’s now only charged with one count of organized fraud.
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The charges could add to the sentence he is already serving.
Federal prosecutors say Patel used the stolen millions to live a “life of luxury” that included lavish trips on private jets, a country club membership, a luxury watch, and Jaguars and sports memorabilia worth tens of thousands of dollars. They asked the court to sentence Patel to seven years in prison.
But Patel’s attorneys argued that the vast majority of the money stolen from the Jaguars fueled Patel’s online gambling addiction and asked for a lighter sentence.
The judge sentenced Patel to 78 months in prison plus three years of supervised release following his prison time.
Patel, who pleaded guilty in December to wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions, could have been sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
Prosecutors said Patel spent more than $5 million of the stolen money on “personal expenses,” and released a long list of items purchased by Patel, along with photos of him on vacation.
Patel’s attorney said his client suffers addictions to gambling, alcohol and drugs but has worked hard to turn his life around, getting sober, going to meetings, and even starting a Gamblers Anonymous chapter in Jacksonville Beach.
Patel told the court, in front of friends and family who packed the courtroom to support him, he was “sickened with shame,” saying he can never fully convey how sorry he is to those he hurt. He said his sobriety has given him clarity, and he is committed to use his story to help others who are struggling.
The court also ordered Patel to pay more than $21 million in restitution, paying $250 a month once he’s released from prison. Patel’s attorney in court suggested his client was spending so much money on stuff so he could resell it to keep gambling.
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