It’s not just athletes who are susceptible to the temptations of the widespread legalization of sports betting, but team employees as well. And one of the most bizarre instances with the Jacksonville Jaguars and FanDuel has been resolved under fascinating circumstances.
More than a year ago, Jaguars employee Amit Patel was charged with wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions after stealing $22 million from the team. He then deposited that money into FanDuel to bet on sports through daily fantasy games.
Initially, the Jacksonville Jaguars wanted the entirety of that money back from FanDuel, but it seemed as though the two sides were at an impasse. That came to an end this week. According to a report from ESPN’s Don Van Natta and Xuan Thai, the sports betting platform has agreed to compensate the NFL franchise to the tune of $5 million, just under a fourth of what was stolen.
But what may be most interesting about this development is that the NFL encouraged a deal to get done between the two sides since FanDuel serves as one of the league’s official betting partners.
FanDuel has agreed to pay the Jaguars approximately $5 million to compensate for the nearly $20 million that a former Jacksonville employee stole from the team and deposited at the sportsbook, multiple sources familiar with the agreement told ESPN.
The sources said the deal was finalized in early 2025, more than a year after Amit Patel, a midlevel finance manager for the Jaguars, pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million through a virtual credit card system the team used for expenses.
Sources told ESPN that the NFL encouraged the Jaguars and FanDuel, one of the league’s official betting partners, to come to a resolution but did not actively participate in the discussions. A source with direct knowledge of the agreement said FanDuel was motivated to pay the Jaguars in the interest of being a good partner with the league.
It did not appear that there was any legal obligation for FanDuel to give any of the $22 million lost by Patel back to the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, it’s probably not true that they donated $5 million to the Khan family out of the goodness of their own hearts either.
The fact of the matter is that a settlement was likely only reached here because of the NFL’s intrinsic ties to the sports betting industry. The Jaguars recover some of the stolen funds, and FanDuel retains the favor of its largest professional sports partner.
If you needed any more proof that professional sports leagues were now fully in bed with the gambling world, this is it.
About Matt Yoder