FanDuel accused ex-Jaguars financial employee Amit Patel of attempting to pin the blame for his crime on the company and its partners
FanDuel has slammed Amit Patel’s claims as unfounded, seeking arbitration in a lawsuit involving the two parties. The American sports betting giant asserted that the ex-Jacksonville Jaguars employee, who was previously sued for fraud, is trying to shift the blame.
Patel Says FanDuel Exploited His Addiction
Patel, for context, pleaded guilty to embezzling some $22.2 million from the Jaguars and, roughly a year ago, was sentenced to several years in prison. The man, who admitted that he was guilty of wire fraud and illicit transactions, later sued FanDuel from prison, seeking millions in damages.
According to Patel’s lawsuit, which was filed in October 2024, the sports betting giant was aware of and exploited his gambling addiction. This exacerbated the embezzling, which, according to Patel, was prompted by his condition.
Patel stole millions of dollars to fund a lavish lifestyle. However, a significant portion of the money he took from the NFL franchise was spent on bets. Transaction history shows Patel transferring roughly $20 million to FanDuel during his time as a VIP customer.
Patel insisted that FanDuel should have intervened and stopped him from over-gambling. On the contrary, FanDuel continued to shower him with promotions, VIP offers and incentives to play. On top of that, he alleged that FanDuel was aware of his condition and perhaps the fact that he stole money from his employer.
Because of that, he is now seeking some $250 million in damages from the operator.
FanDuel Says Patel is Trying to Shift the Blame
FanDuel responded harshly to the accusations and said that Patel had agreed to binding arbitration through his agreement to the company’s Terms of Use. FanDuel slammed Patel of using his time in prison to “dream up unsupported conspiracy theories” and unfounded claims that FanDuel was aware of his embezzling.
FanDuel added that even if Patel’s claims were true, he would not have been entitled to sue FanDuel in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York because of his agreement with the operator’s conditions.
FanDuel further argued that similar arbitration clauses have been upheld in previous cases, insisting that the same should happen now.
Finally, FanDuel accused Patel of attempting to pin the blame for his crime on the company and its partners. As a result, the company’s latest filing requested a stay on all proceeding while it pursues arbitration.
FanDuel Remains a Local Leader
In other news, FanDuel just hit 23 million app downloads, which is more than any other sportsbook in America. FanDuel has firmly cemented itself as one of the undisputed leaders when it comes to sports wagers.
By the time the Philadelphia Eagles faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs, FanDuel had recorded a staggering 16.6 million wagers on the Super Bowl.
