White House trolls Travis Kelce after Chiefs star is named victim in $35M Ponzi scheme

Travis Kelce has found himself at the center of an unexpected White House joke after the Kansas City Chiefs star was publicly identified as one of the victims of a $35 million Ponzi scheme. The White House took to social media, sharing a Fox News report about the fraud case and using the opportunity to make a football-themed quip about Kelce.Travis Kelce was named as a victim in the fraud case“This is why we do what we do,” the official White House account wrote. “Seems like a good time to re-up the work of the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud: identifying fraud & protecting Americans.”The post then directly tagged Kelce, adding: “Oh and it looks like the next draft pick to join the Task Force is @tkelce!”The White House post came shortly after Kelce was identified in federal court as one of the victims of a massive investment fraud scheme. Siddharth Jawahar, the founder of Texas-based Swiftarc Capital LLC, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to three counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors said his scheme took in more than $35 million from investors between 2016 and December 2023.According to federal prosecutors, Jawahar invested only around $10 million of the money he received. When an investment lost significant value, he allegedly concealed the losses from investors and used money from newer investors to pay earlier ones.The remaining funds were also used to support an extravagant lifestyle, according to court filings, including private-jet travel, luxury hotels, expensive restaurants, and private-club memberships.Kelce's name was brought up during Jawahar's sentencing hearing as one of the victims.However, the exact amount Kelce invested and how much he may have lost has not been disclosed publicly.White House turns Kelce's NFL career into a punchlineRather than simply discussing the case, the White House used Kelce's NFL background for its social-media response. The reference to him as the “next draft pick” appeared to play on the Chiefs star's career as a professional football player while simultaneously promoting the administration's fraud task force.The joke also came at an unusual moment for Kelce, who is currently in his 14th NFL season with the Chiefs. Kelce was not the only professional athlete connected to Jawahar's investment operation.NBA players Gary Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mason Plumlee have also been reported as investors in Swiftarc-related funds. A 2021 Forbes report previously discussed Harris's investment in a Swiftarc fund and identified Kelce and other athletes in connection with the investment firm.The broader case involved 64 victims, according to the Associated Press, with Jawahar ordered to pay $31.35 million in restitution.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.