JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The video attached to this story is from a previous, related story.
The attorney for a former Jacksonville Jaguars employee accused of stealing more than $22 million from the team says he plans to plead guilty.
A filing by federal prosecutors says Amit Patel used funds from the Jaguars, which he had access to during his time as a financial analyst for the team, to purchase luxuries like a $95,000 watch, a condo in Ponte Vedra and a Tesla Model 3.
His lawyer, Alex King, said in a statement that Patel used the team's funds to fuel his gambling addiction. He said that that "almost the entirety of the funds Mr. Patel used... were spent on the gambling websites and efforts to win money back, with the anticipation he would repay the funds with the winning and make the Jaguars whole."
King refutes that Patel used the funds to live an "extravagant lifestyle," specifically citing the Tesla Model 3. He says that he made his purchases "mostly with family money and other money earned."
He says Patel only used the Jaguars' funds "in a horribly misguided effort to pay back previous gambling losses."
He describes Patel's gambling addiction as "compulsive," and a result of an "uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it takes on one's life."
Gambling is mentioned in federal documents on Patel's case, listed as one of the avenues through with Patel spent the money.
A court has not been set for Patel, but King says he intends to "take full responsibility."
"Mr. Patel is deeply remorseful and apologizes for his conduct," he wrote.
The statement also mentions that Patel founded an LLC to assist other people struggling with gambling addiction.
This business, called Round Robin Recovery LLC, does not appear to have a website or any social media.