This wide receiver’s hands were maybe a little too sticky.
Former New York Jets wide-out Joshua Bellamy bilked a coronavirus stimulus program for more than $1 million, federal prosecutors in Florida charged Thursday.
Bellamy allegedly obtained $1.2 million in fraudulent loans from the Payment Protection Program for his company “Drip Entertainment,” according to a criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Florida.
Bellamy’s bank records show a paper trail of him transferring the money to his private account in May, which contained a total of less than $3 before he got the allegedly fraudulent pay day.
“On or about May 28, 2020, Bank 2 wired the loan amount, $1,246,565, into Bellamy’s personal account, which, at the time, had a balance of only $2.51,” the complaint states.
Bellamy then wired 25 percent of the cash to his co-conspirator as a kickback payment in the scam, the feds allege. His alleged co-conspirator is nor cooperating with federal authorities in their investigation.
The NFL player went shopping with the illegally obtained cash, buying up luxury goods at high-end retail shops, and spending all of the dough within about two months, according to the complaint.
“On June 8, 2020, Bellamy purchased $5,381.60 in goods at Gucci and $1,020.98 at Milano Exchange. On June 14, 2020, Bellamy spent $2,014.80 at Dior,” prosecutors wrote.
“Bellamy’s bank records also reflect a number of expenditures for what appears to be travel and hotels. From May 28 to July 24, 2020, Bellamy spent over $6,630 on transactions with various airlines. He also spent approximately $62,774 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino,” the complaint adds.
Attorney information for Bellamy was not immediately available. It was uncelar whether he was in custody.
