NFL star Travis Kelce identified as victim in $35 million Ponzi fraud
Federal court documents show Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce lost money in a $35 million Ponzi scheme run by Siddharth Jawahar.
A federal court hearing on Tuesday identified Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as one of the investors duped by Siddharth Jawahar, the mastermind behind a $35 million Ponzi scheme. Jawahar, who ran Swiftarc Capital LLC, allegedly directed almost all client money into a single venture—Philip Morris Pakistan—that collapsed, prompting him to fabricate performance reports and recycle new investors' cash to satisfy earlier backers.
Court filings reveal that Jawahar spent the majority of the funds on private jets, upscale hotel stays, luxury apartments in Austin and New York, and memberships at exclusive clubs, while only investing about $10 million of the total sum. Kelce’s precise loss remains undisclosed, but prosecutors emphasized his status as a victim, not an accomplice. The fraudster received an 11-year prison term and a restitution order of $31.35 million. The case also mentions other athletes, such as NBA player Gary Harris, Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway Jr, and former San Antonio Spurs center Mason Plumlee, who were linked to the scheme.
Why it matters
The case highlights how high-profile athletes can be targeted by sophisticated investment fraud, underscoring risks for public figures.
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