“Luxury Lover Cops 22 Million from Jacksonville Jaguars – What Was Their Wild Shopping Spree?
A former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team has been charged with stealing over $22 million from the team for a lavish lifestyle of luxury shopping and travel.
Thomas Steimle, who worked as an executive for the team until October 2020, is accused of submitting false invoices to the team, falsifying purchase orders and using fraudulently obtained company funds for his own purchase of luxury items including vacations and cars.
According to the charging documents, Steimle submitted false invoices to the team, purchased luxury items with company funds and routed money through bank accounts he owned. In addition to the luxury items, Steimle also made purchases from Amazon and other stores.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert Higdon Jr., said Steimle “stole from his employer in order to fund a luxurious lifestyle that included travel, shopping sprees, and more.”
The charging documents allege that Steimle used the stolen funds for trips to Las Vegas, Miami, and the Bahamas. In addition, Steimle is accused of using the money to purchase multiple Mercedes-Benz vehicles, expensive jewelry, and hotel stays.
The investigation of Steimle’s theft started in 2019 by the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney believes that the amount of money stolen is likely to be much higher.
Steimle has been charged with wire fraud, which carries a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, and he could be facing fines and restitution to the Jaguars.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have not yet commented publicly on the case.