Ex-employee who stole from Jags sues FanDuel

A former Jacksonville Jaguars employee who stole more than $22 million from the team sued FanDuel in federal court on Tuesday, claiming the sportsbook “exploited” his gambling addiction and intentionally ignored its responsible gaming and anti-money laundering protocols.

In a civil suit filed in the Southern District of New York, an attorney for Amit Patel alleges that FanDuel incentivized Patel to keep playing daily fantasy sports despite Patel exhibiting signs of problem gambling. According to court documents, he transferred approximately $20 million to FanDuel.

The sportsbook gave Patel $1.1 million in credits as well as trips to the 2023 College Football Playoff championship game and the Masters in 2021 and 2022, and Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix, according to the filing.

“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,” Patel’s attorney, Matthew Litt, wrote in the suit.

Patel, 31, is asking for $250 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

FanDuel declined comment, citing company policy about discussing pending litigation.

The suit alleges Patel’s VIP host at FanDuel, Brett Krause, communicated with Patel as many as 100 times a day between 2021 and 2023, on several occasions contacting Patel on days he was not gambling to find out why. Krause acknowledged on numerous occasions that they were “breaking AML [anti-money laundering protocol],” the suit says.

Krause also moved certain texts with Patel to his personal phone “to avoid detection by FanDuel’s compliance personnel,” and instructed Patel to fabricate dialogue on his FanDuel phone, according to the filing.

An attorney representing Krause declined comment when contacted by ESPN.

“The goal of the suit is a fair apportionment of responsibility among all responsible parties,” Litt said in a statement to ESPN. “The suit certainly does not contend that Amit is blameless. But right now, Amit is facing 100% of the consequences for what happened while FanDuel is facing none — despite FanDuel’s very active role in Amit’s gambling disorder. The objective is not just to balance things out in Amit’s case, but to stop FanDuel from actively enticing addicted gamblers in the future.”

Patel pleaded guilty to wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction in March, admitting to stealing $22,221,454.40 from the Jaguars over 3½ years while he managed the team’s virtual credit card program. Federal prosecutors claimed Patel lived a “life of luxury” that included lavish vacations and the purchase of a high-end watch and sports memorabilia.

Krause accompanied Patel on more than one trip sponsored by FanDuel, according to the suit.

“Defendants knew, through Krause, that the Plaintiff worked for a National Football League team and was not permitted to gamble on the National Football League,” the suit states.

Patel was diagnosed with a gambling disorder in March 2023, a month after he was fired by the Jaguars, according to a court filing, and has been receiving therapy and participating in Gamblers Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

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 repay the losses.

Patel is serving a 6½-year sentence at Williamsburg federal prison in South Carolina.