“22 Mill of Jaguars’ Cash to Fund Ex-Employee’s Shopping Extravaganza!

A former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars has been charged with stealing millions of dollars from the NFL franchise. Katherine Ruiz, 42, of Fort Myers, Florida, was arrested by the United States Marshal’s Service on Thursday and charged with wire fraud. Ruiz allegedly stole more than $22 million from the Jaguars and used the money for luxury trips and purchases, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Ruiz was employed as a Senior Financial Analyst with the franchise from January 2019 through March 2020. According to the criminal complaint, Ruiz set up at least eight corporate accounts in the name of the Jaguars, and she used these accounts to purchase personal items, such as flights, hotels, jewelry, clothing, and other luxury items for herself and others. Ruiz had access to Jaguars funds and was able to make these purchases without detection until March 2020 when the scheme was discovered. In total, Ruiz is accused of stealing more than $22 million, which is the largest amount of money ever stolen from a professional sports team. The Jacksonville Jaguars have issued a statement saying that investigations are ongoing and that Ruiz and any accomplices will be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” If convicted of wire fraud, Ruiz could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and full restitution to the Jaguars. This case highlights the importance of companies having adequate controls in place to detect and prevent fraudulent activity. The Jaguars are taking the necessary steps to ensure a similar incident does not occur again and to protect team funds. A former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars has been charged with stealing millions of dollars from the NFL franchise. Katherine Ruiz, 42, of Fort Myers, Florida, was arrested by the United States Marshal’s Service on Thursday and charged with wire fraud. Ruiz allegedly stole more than $22 million from the Jaguars and used the money for luxury trips and purchases, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Ruiz was employed as a Senior Financial Analyst with the franchise from January 2019 through March 2020. According to the criminal complaint, Ruiz set up at least eight corporate accounts in the name of the Jaguars, and she used these accounts to purchase personal items, such as flights, hotels, jewelry, clothing, and other luxury items for herself and others. Ruiz had access to Jaguars funds and was able to make these purchases without detection until March 2020 when the scheme was discovered. In total, Ruiz is accused of stealing more than $22 million, which is the largest amount of money ever stolen from a professional sports team. The Jacksonville Jaguars have issued a statement saying that investigations are ongoing and that Ruiz and any accomplices will be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” If convicted of wire fraud, Ruiz could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and full restitution to the Jaguars. This case highlights the importance of companies having adequate controls in place to detect and prevent fraudulent activity. The Jaguars are taking the necessary steps to ensure a similar incident does not occur again and to protect team funds.