A former Jacksonville Jaguars executive charged with stealing more than $22 million from the National Football League team said he plans to plead guilty to fraud.
U.S. prosecutors accused Amit Patel, the team¡¯s former manager of financial planning and analysis, of stealing the money to fund a luxurious lifestyle that included private jet travel and a $95,000 Patek Philippe Nautilus watch. Patel¡¯s lawyer, Alex King, said in a statement Thursday that his client ¡°takes full responsibility for his actions¡± but said an out-of-control addiction to online sports betting was the main motive for the embezzlement.
¡°Approximately 99% of the funds¡± taken from the Jaguars was spent betting on the FanDuel and DraftKings sites or in a ¡°horribly misguided effort¡± to make good his losses and repay the team, King said.
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