Josh Bellamy, a wide receiver who was with four teams from 2012-19 and was released by the New York Jets Tuesday, was one of 50 people across 16 states charged Thursday with attempting to defraud the government out of up to $175 million in COVID-19 relief money.
Bellamy’s alleged role in the scheme saw the former Chicago Bear and Jet obtain a loan worth more than $1.24 million from the Paycheck Protection Program for a company called Drip Entertainment LLC (a Florida company). The loans were designed to help small businesses recover from the coronavirus pandemic for specific purposes.
Bellamy, who also spent time early in his career with Kansas City and Washington, is alleged in the complaint to have deposited the money into his personal bank account, which at the time had $2.51. In a three-month span this spring and summer, the complaint alleges Bellamy withdrew more than $302,000, spending $104,000 on luxury goods and jewelry and another $62,774 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Florida.
Bellamy was charged in a federal criminal complaint with fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.
Bellamy also was involved in the preparation of at least 90 fraudulent applications for friends and family, the complaint says. Those loans were worth as much as $24 million; at least $17.4 million worth were approved. Ten other co-conspirators were charged in the alleged scheme.
According to the complaint, an undercover agent posing as a potential loan partner, asked Bellamy how many employees he had. “I got as many employees as I want,” the complaint quotes Bellamy.
Bellamy, 31, had 78 catches for 999 yards and five touchdowns in his career. All but two of the receptions came as a Bear. He was born in St. Petersburg, Fl, and played college ball at Louisville.