A former NFL wide receiver who illegally got over $1 million in pandemic relief money meant to help struggling businesses has found out his punishment for his terrible actions.
Joshua Bellamy, who spent most of his football career with the Chicago Bears, was sentenced to a little more than three years in prison Friday, prosecutors said. Bellamy was among 11 people charged in a more than $17 million fraud scheme last year.
The 32-year-old got a $1.2 million loan from the Paycheck Protection Program for his company and spent much of it on jewelry and at a casino. He also referred other people to get in on the scam. Bellamy worked with other people who submitted false or forged documents to get a loan for Bellamy’s company, Drip Entertainment, both his attorneys and prosecutors said in court documents.
Bellamy pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and along with the 37 months in prison is him having to pay back the $1,246,565, the Justice Department said in a statement.
He is currently out on bond, but is scheduled to report to prison by Feb. 15th.
Bellamy played five seasons with the Chicago Bears, and a single season with the New York Jets in 2019. He had only two catches for New York and was cut in September 2020, just days before the criminal charges were announced.
The former NFL wide receiver had 78 career catches for 1,019 yards and 5 touchdowns.
