Travis Kelce named victim in multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, 36, has been identified as a victim in a Ponzi scheme worth $35 million orchestrated by a Texas fund manager. Siddharth Jawahar, the 38-year-old responsible, faces an 11-year prison sentence after admitting guilt to three counts of wire fraud during a hearing in St. Louis federal court.

Jawahar operated Swiftarc Capital LLC, an investment firm that has now fallen under federal scrutiny for wire fraud. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he managed to secure over $35 million from investors between July 2016 and December 2023. However, instead of diversifying investments, he funneled approximately 99% of the clients’ funds into a single stock—Philip Morris Pakistan.

As that stock’s value dropped, Jawahar concealed the losses and provided falsified statements to his clients, using money from new investors to pay off earlier ones. Prosecutors revealed that, out of the total funds raised, only about $10 million was actually invested; the rest went towards his personal indulgences, including private jet travel, upscale apartments in Austin and New York, fine dining experiences, and memberships at exclusive private clubs.

Details on the specific financial losses incurred by Kelce have not been disclosed, but he isn’t the only athlete ensnared in this situation. A 2021 report from Forbes had previously connected Swiftarc with several NBA players like Gary Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Mason Plumlee.

Jawahar pleaded guilty to the charges in January 2026, and U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone subsequently sentenced him to 11 years in federal prison, along with a restitution order of $31.35 million.

Meanwhile, Kelce is navigating his 14th season in the NFL, having recently signed a contract extension with the Chiefs. Fortunately for him, his marriage to Taylor Swift earlier this year means any financial losses from this unfortunate investment might be manageable, given her substantial wealth.