Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was named as a victim in a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme during a federal court hearing in St. Louis. Prosecutors briefly identified the 36-year-old star while sentencing the man behind the scam.
Fraudster sentenced to 11 years
On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, US District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone sentenced Siddharth “Sid” Jawahar, 38, to 11 years in prison. Jawahar must also pay $31.35 million in restitution to his victims. He pleaded guilty in January to three counts of wire fraud.
How the scheme worked
Jawahar ran Swiftarc Capital LLC, a Texas-based investment firm. From July 2016 through December 2023, he collected more than $35 million from investors but only put about $10 million into actual investments.
He used money from new investors to pay earlier ones and spent the rest on a lavish lifestyle that included private jet flights, luxury hotel stays and expensive restaurant meals.
Kelce’s connection
A 2021 Forbes article listed Kelce as an investor in the Swiftarc Venture Labs Fund, which Jawahar co-founded. Other athletes including several NBA players also put money into the fund.
In court, prosecutors simply named Kelce as a victim and gave no further details about how much he may have lost. They said they do not discuss individual victims. The Chiefs organization has not yet commented.
Extra details from the case
Jawahar, originally from India, has been in the United States illegally since 2005 and is expected to face deportation after serving his sentence.
Before sentencing, he paid a political consulting firm $10,000 to help gather support letters including one from Missouri Congressman Sam Graves that recommended only four years. The judge rejected the request for a lighter sentence.
The case highlights how even high-profile athletes can fall victim to investment scams that promise big returns but deliver heavy losses.
