A former financial manager for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, who was caught stealing $22 million from the team, is now suing FanDuel for a whopping $250 million. The ex-employee, Amit Patel, currently serving a 6 1/2-year prison sentence in South Carolina, filed the lawsuit in federal court in New York. Patel claims that FanDuel took advantage of his gambling addiction by overlooking its responsible gambling and anti-money laundering rules.
According to Patel’s lawsuit, FanDuel was aware that he was not eligible to gamble legally as an NFL team employee. Despite this, the company allegedly provided Patel with over $1.1 million in gambling credits and lured him into placing bets with relentless encouragement. Patel’s lawyer, Matthew Litt, stated that while the lawsuit does not absolve the gambler of responsibility, it highlights FanDuel’s active role in exacerbating his addiction.
The lawsuit further details how FanDuel bombarded Patel with incentives to gamble, including a personal host contacting him up to 100 times a day. It is reported that the company even went as far as offering lavish gifts to Patel, such as trips to prestigious sporting events like the Super Bowl, the Masters golf tournament, and more. These inducements ultimately led Patel to wager a staggering $20 million on daily fantasy sports contests over several years.
Despite pleading guilty to wire fraud and other charges in December and agreeing to repay the stolen funds, Patel is seeking damages from FanDuel. This legal action mirrors similar cases where compulsive gamblers have sued casinos or online gambling platforms for fuelling their addictions. In the face of such lawsuits, FanDuel has declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation.
This lawsuit sheds light on the destructive impact of gambling addiction and brings attention to the responsibilities of companies operating in the gambling industry. The legal battle between Patel and FanDuel underscores the complexities surrounding addiction and accountability in the realm of gambling and raises significant questions about the regulation of the industry as a whole.