Ex-Jets receiver Joshua Bellamy is charged after ‘taking $1.2million in COVID-relief loans’

Former New York Jets wide receiver Joshua Bellamy is facing federal fraud and conspiracy charges for his alleged involvement in a scheme to obtain $1.2 million in coronavirus relief loans.

The news comes one day after Bellamy, 31, was waived by the team. He was previously placed on the Reserve/PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list while recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in 2019. Neither Jets spokespeople nor Bellamy’s agent immediately returned the Daily Mail’s request for comment.

According to federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida, Bellamy obtained the loan through the Paycheck Protection Program for his company, Drip Entertainment LLC, by falsifying bank and employment records. Bellamy then allegedly used $104,000 of that to buy luxury goods, while encouraging his girlfriend and brother to take similar advantage of the loans.

Bellamy’s bank records reflect purchases of $94,000 in jewelry, with another $5,381.60 in goods purchased at Gucci, $1,020.98 at Milano Exchange, and $2,014.80 at Dior, according to the federal affidavit.

‘My Momma Said Where U Goin Wit All Dat Jewelry on,’ read a June post from an unverified account Twitter account that appears to belong to Bellamy.

Another social media post, appearing to have been made by Bellamy, pictured the wide receiver holding a stack of money. The caption read: ‘Spent So Much In Dior They Wanna See I.D.’ 

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was ended on August 8, was created by the federal Small Business Administration to provide forgivable loans in an effort to encourage small businesses to keep employees on the payroll during the pandemic.

Bellamy is accused of falsifying documents and arranging kickbacks with people who ultimately cooperated in the investigation.

‘To inflate the size of these PPP loans, and the corresponding kickbacks, the conspirators relied on a variety of false statements, including by submitting falsified bank statements and payroll tax forms,’ read the federal affidavit filed on Wednesday. ‘For example, the conspirators used nearly identical versions of the same fabricated bank statements, recycled in the PPP applications for multiple companies with minor changes.’

Prosecutors claim that Bellamy became involved with Phillip J. Augustin, who was charged in the Northern District of Ohio back in July for allegedly coordinating $24 million in fraudulent loans through the PPP program.

Many of the loans were approved, and at least $17.4 million was paid out.

A University if Louisville product, Bellamy has played seven NFL seasons, mostly with the Chicago Bears, and has earned $7.6 million over that time.