Patriots

Gambler Charged With Threatening Athletes, Including Edelman, Gronkowski

This is one of the most insane stories you'll read today.

Famed gambler Ben "Parlay" Patz has been charged by a U.S. Attorney in Florida for threatening violent acts against a variety of athletes in the past calendar year. And likely included among those athletes? Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski.

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Here's what the 23-year-old Patz allegedly wrote via Instagram to the two members of the Patriots, per Darren Rovell of The Action Network. Be warned that the language that Katz used is very disturbing.

The complaint also says that after Patz bet $10,000 on the Rams to win the Super Bowl, and they lost to the New England Patriots, Patz sent a direct message to a Patriots player with the initials J.E. (likely Julian Edelman). "I'll rape and murder your entire family," Patz allegedly wrote. Edelman caught 10 passes for 141 yards en route to the game's MVP.

Patz also allegedly fired off a note to R.G. (likely Rob Gronkowski): "I will brutally rape and murder your family…I will enter your home while you sleep and sever your neck open with a dull knife."

That's horrifying. Obviously, no athlete, or person for that matter, should be put through this type of abuse. And this was just the tip of the iceberg, as Patz allegedly messaged several other athletes, as Rovell outlined in his piece.

After an FBI investigation, Patz was officially charged with transmitting threats in interstate or foreign commerce. He will face a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted of the crime.

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