Report: Jaguars ask FanDuel to reimburse more than $20 million that Amit Patel stole for gambling
It was gutsy for former Jaguars executive Amit Patel to embezzle more than $20 million from the team for gambling. The Jaguars are now taking gutsy to the next level.
According to ESPN.com, the Jaguars have asked FanDuel to reimburse some or all of the money that Patel stole.
One source familiar with the situation told ESPN, in an article that contains no byline, that "discussions are ongoing among FanDuel, the Jaguars and the NFL" regarding "a settlement." However, FanDuel's attitude is that it got the money "fair and clear," and that it's "not our problem."
Indeed it isn't. The Jaguars created a virtual credit card system that allowed Patel to steal the money. The idea that the entity who received stolen money for gambling or cars or booze or whatever would have to pay it back is ludicrous.
It's possible the Jaguars think that FanDuel can be squeezed into doing it, given the importance of the broader relationship with the NFL. It's another example of the league's decision to flip "the customer is always right" on its head. The league has no qualms about pushing the partners who give it millions and/or billions for more, more, and more.
So, good for FanDuel in standing firm. It's not their fault that the guy was stealing money through a flawed system the Jaguars created, maintained, and failed to police.
It'll be interesting to see how far the NFL and the Jaguars push this. Patel developed an addiction. Instead of trying to squeeze FanDuel to refund the money the Jaguars' negligence enabled Patel to steal, maybe the Jaguars and the NFL should take a step back and ask how themselves many other Amit Patels are being created by the ease with which people can now gamble — and by the NFL's legitimization of sports betting with three tri-exclusive sportsbook sponsorships.
Until they do, it's all nothing more than a money grab, as evidenced by the fact that the Jaguars, instead of being horrified by the depths of Patel's addiction, want to grab $20 million back from FanDuel.
