Travis Kelce may be one of football's biggest stars, but fame and fortune apparently did not protect the Kansas City Chiefs tight end from becoming caught up in an enormous investment scandal.
Federal prosecutors have identified Kelce as one of the victims of a $35 million Ponzi scheme operated by Siddharth Jawahar, the co-founder of Texas-based investment firm Swiftarc Capital LLC. Jawahar has now been sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of wire fraud.
Kelce was reportedly among several professional athletes who invested in the Swiftarc Venture Labs Fund. Other athletes connected to the fund included NBA players Gary Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mason Plumlee.
Authorities have not disclosed how much money Kelce invested or ultimately lost. His representatives have also not publicly commented on the revelation.
According to prosecutors, Jawahar collected more than $35 million from investors between 2016 and 2023. Although clients were allegedly led to believe that their money had been placed in diverse and profitable investments, only approximately $10 million was actually invested.
Prosecutors said almost all the invested funds were concentrated in Philip Morris Pakistan. When that investment began losing value, Jawahar allegedly continued providing clients with misleading information about their supposed profits.
The remaining money was reportedly used to repay earlier investors and support an extravagant lifestyle involving private jets, luxurious accommodations and expensive shopping. It was the classic appearance of success allegedly financed by money flowing in from newer investors.
The case became even more dramatic when authorities accused Jawahar of attempting to interfere with their investigation. He allegedly tried to persuade one victim to make favorable statements about him to the FBI, instructed his sister to erase information from his iPhone and made false statements to investigators.
In addition to serving 11 years in federal prison, Jawahar has been ordered to pay approximately $31.35 million in restitution.
The revelation comes as Kelce begins another closely watched NFL season with the Chiefs. Retirement rumors have followed the 36-year-old for months, but he recently insisted that he is not ready to walk away from football.
Kelce said he still possesses the desire to compete and believes he can continue performing at a high level. His opening performance against the Denver Broncos gave him some evidence to support that claim.
The veteran tight end caught three passes for 71 yards, including a spectacular 59-yard reception-his longest catch since 2021. The play moved him into second place on the NFL's all-time receiving-yards list among tight ends.
Kelce later expressed frustration that he failed to turn the huge gain into a touchdown, suggesting the famously competitive star remains far more concerned about reaching the end zone than planning his retirement party.
For Kelce, the start of the season has therefore delivered two very different headlines. On the field, he is still rewriting NFL history. Away from it, his name has unexpectedly surfaced in a federal fraud case involving millions of dollars, professional athletes and a convicted investment manager's luxurious spending.
The important distinction is that Kelce has not been accused of wrongdoing. Prosecutors named him as one of the people allegedly deceived by the scheme-and even one of the NFL's most recognizable players apparently did not see this financial tackle coming.
