Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has been named as one of the victims in a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme run by investment adviser Siddharth Jawahar.
Jawahar, 38, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison on September 15 after pleading guilty to three counts of wire fraud. He was also ordered to pay $31.35 million in restitution.
Prosecutors said Jawahar collected more than $35 million from investors but invested only about $10 million. Kelce’s exact financial loss has not been made public, and prosecutors have not accused him of any wrongdoing.
Who Is Siddharth Jawahar?
Siddharth Jawahar, also known as “Sid” Jawahar, ran Texas-based investment company Swiftarc Capital LLC. He started the firm in 2013 and later became linked to several Swiftarc-related funds.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Jawahar began putting client money into Philip Morris Pakistan in 2015. Over time, about 99% of client funds were placed in that one investment. When its value fell, prosecutors said Jawahar did not tell investors what was happening. Instead, he falsely told them their investments were making money.
From about July 2016 through December 2023, Jawahar took in more than $35 million from investors. Prosecutors said only around $10 million was actually invested. Some of the new money was then used to pay earlier investors, while other funds paid for private jet travel, luxury hotels, expensive restaurants, clothing and high-end apartments.
{{/usCountry}}From about July 2016 through December 2023, Jawahar took in more than $35 million from investors. Prosecutors said only around $10 million was actually invested. Some of the new money was then used to pay earlier investors, while other funds paid for private jet travel, luxury hotels, expensive restaurants, clothing and high-end apartments.
{{/usCountry}}How Travis Kelce was linked to Jawahar?
Kelce’s name came up in court as one of the people affected by the scheme. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end had previously been identified as an investor in the Swiftarc Venture Labs Fund.
A 2021 Forbes report listed Kelce among professional athletes who had invested in a Swiftarc fund. NBA players Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mason Plumlee were also named as investors.
However, there is still no public figure for how much Travis Kelce lost. Prosecutors gave little information about his investment during Jawahar’s sentencing and said they do not discuss individual victims. The important thing is that Kelce was identified as a victim, not as someone accused of taking part in the fraud.
Siddharth Jawahar’s 11-year prison sentence
Jawahar pleaded guilty in January 2026 to three counts of wire fraud. On September 15, U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone sentenced him to 11 years in prison and ordered him to pay $31.35 million to victims.
The case also included allegations of efforts to interfere with the investigation. Prosecutors said Jawahar tried to coach a victim’s statement, lied about his finances and immigration status, and tried to have his sister remotely wipe his iPhone.
After the sentence, his lawyer Doug Passon said, "It was more time than I think Sid should have gotten. Sid Jawahar is a very good man who has done some very wrong things, very illegal things. He's owned those things."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman described the case as one of the largest Ponzi schemes prosecuted in the district. Jawahar will now begin his 11-year prison term while victims seek repayment through the court-ordered restitution.