Ex-NFL player Bellamy gets 3 years for COVID relief fraud

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Former NFL player Josh Bellamy has been sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining over $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Court records show Bellamy was sentenced Friday in Tampa federal court. He pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The wide receiver most recently played for the New York Jets, who released him in September 2020, just days before his arrest. According to court records, Bellamy obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $1.2 million using falsified documents and false information. Bellamy admitted to using the money on jewelry and a stay at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.