On Aug. 3, former Jets receiver Josh Bellamy tweeted he needed to “hustle a lil harder.” Well, it turns out he hustled too hard, so much so that the Department of Justice took notice.
A Justice Department release claims Bellamy participated in a $24 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme in which he illegally acquired $1.2 million from a loan program meant to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. Bellamy was charged with and arrested for wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud on Thursday morning by the Southern District of Florida.
The Jets released Bellamy from the Reserve/PUP list on Wednesday but were unaware of his role in the scheme at the time, per ESPN.
Bellamy allegedly received the money after acquiring a Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program Loan for his company, Drip Entertainment LLC, but used it on luxury items, hotels and casino withdrawals. According to the Justice Department, Bellamy spent more than $100,000 of his PPP money at Dior, Gucci and jewelry stores and more than $362,000 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The suit alleges Bellamy also tried to earn loans for family members and other associates as part of a bigger scheme that involved at least 90 fraudulent applications and 10 other individuals.
The PPP loans are designed to give emergency financial relief to small businesses reeling from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants are only allowed to use the money for payroll, mortgage interests, rent and utilities and are 100 percent forgivable if used during a designated time.
Per the release, Bellamy appeared before the U.S. Magistrate court in the Middle District of Florida Thursday afternoon.
Bellamy mostly played special teams in his lone season in New York before being released. Prior to that, he spent five seasons with the Bears.
