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A former Jacksonville Jaguars worker who stole greater than $22 million from the staff sued FanDuel in federal court docket on Tuesday, claiming the sportsbook “exploited” his playing dependancy and deliberately ignored its accountable gaming and anti-money laundering protocols.
In a civil go well with filed within the Southern District of New York, an legal professional for Amit Patel alleges that FanDuel incentivized Patel to maintain enjoying day by day fantasy sports activities regardless of Patel exhibiting indicators of drawback playing. In line with court docket paperwork, he transferred roughly $20 million to FanDuel.
The sportsbook gave Patel $1.1 million in credit in addition to journeys to the Tremendous Bowl, School Soccer Playoff championship recreation and the Masters in 2021 and 2022, in line with the submitting.
“Defendants actively and deliberately focused and preyed on Plaintiff with incentives, credit, and presents to create, nurture, expedite, and/or exacerbate his dependancy with the one attainable end result that he would in the end hit all-time low,” Patel’s legal professional, Matthew Litt, wrote within the go well with.
Patel, 31, is asking for $250 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
FanDuel declined remark, citing firm coverage about discussing pending litigation.
The go well with alleges Patel’s VIP host at FanDuel, Brett Krause, communicated with Patel as many as 100 instances a day between 2021 and 2023, on a number of events contacting Patel on days he was not playing to seek out out why. Krause acknowledged on quite a few events that they had been “breaking AML [anti-money laundering protocol],” the go well with says.
Krause additionally moved sure texts with Patel to his private telephone “to keep away from detection by FanDuel’s compliance personnel,” and instructed Patel to manufacture dialogue on his FanDuel telephone, in line with the submitting.
An legal professional representing Krause declined remark when contacted by ESPN.
“The aim of the go well with is a good apportionment of duty amongst all accountable events,” Litt mentioned in a press release to ESPN. “The go well with definitely doesn’t contend that Amit is innocent. However proper now, Amit is going through 100% of the results for what occurred whereas FanDuel is going through none — regardless of FanDuel’s very energetic function in Amit’s playing dysfunction. The target is not only to stability issues out in Amit’s case, however to cease FanDuel from actively attractive addicted gamblers sooner or later.”
Patel pleaded guilty to wire fraud and unlawful financial transaction in March, admitting to stealing $22,221.454.40 from the Jaguars over 3½ years whereas he managed the staff’s digital bank card program. Federal prosecutors claimed Patel lived a “life of luxury” that included lavish holidays and the acquisition of a high-end watch and sports activities memorabilia.
Krause accompanied Patel on multiple journey sponsored by FanDuel, in line with the go well with.
“Defendants knew, by means of Krause, that the Plaintiff labored for a Nationwide Soccer League staff and was not permitted to gamble on the Nationwide Soccer League,” the go well with states.
Patel was identified with a playing dysfunction in March 2023, a month after he was fired by the Jaguars, in line with a court docket submitting, and has been receiving remedy and taking part in Gamblers Nameless and Alcoholics Nameless conferences.
In July, the Jaguars sued Patel in Florida state court docket, asking for $66.6 million in damages. ESPN previously reported that the Jaguars requested FanDuel to repay the losses.
Patel is serving a 6½-year sentence at Williamsburg federal jail in South Carolina.
