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Ex-NFL wide receiver Josh Bellamy was once a promising rookie entering the league with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012. Now almost a full decade later, he’s been sentenced to three years and one month in a federal prison according to the United States Department of Justice.
Bellamy was charged with “fraudulently obtaining over $1.2 million through a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.”
He was also “ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1,246,565 in restitution and $1,246,565 in forfeiture.”
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Details of Charge
Bellamy pleaded guilty to charges on June 9, in the Southern District of Florida at age 32. He originally joined the Chiefs at age 23.
The details of his charge were outlined as follows:
As part of the fraud scheme, Bellamy obtained a PPP loan of $1,246,565 for his company, Drip Entertainment LLC, using falsified documents and false information. Bellamy admitted to using the PPP loan proceeds on personal items, such as jewelry, and a stay at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Bellamy also sought PPP loans on behalf of his family members and close associates. Bellamy further admitted that he paid more than $311,000 to an alleged co-conspirator, James Stote, as a kickback for his assistance in preparing and submitting the fraudulent loan application.
He was also initially charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
His associate, Stote, was “charged by complaint on June 24, 2020, with wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. His case remains pending.”
During his eight years in the National Football League, Bellamy collected over $8.1 million in career earnings.
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Bellamy’s NFL Journey
Many Chiefs fans may not even recognize the name, being that Bellamy was only with the franchise his rookie season. He had some hype as a potential “diamond in the rough” prospect that was overlooked in the draft.
Ex-Chiefs HC Romeo Crennel was impressed by his quickness and size at the time and Bellamy always had an eye for special teams. The wide-out was quoted saying he loved that facet of the game because he knew “that’s the fastest way to make the squad as a rookie, especially for an undrafted guy like [him].”
The first-year UDFA did eventually make the active roster after beginning his career on the practice squad. He suited up for three games with Kansas City but did not record a catch, factoring only on special teams with 43 total snaps.
In 2013, the former Louisville product was let go by the organization before landing on Washington’s practice squad. Bellamy’s longest stint was five seasons with the Chicago Bears but he received his largest contract from the New York Jets (two years, $5 million).
This ended up being his final stop as a football player. The wide receiver played seven games in New York, registering just two catches for a grand total of 20 yards.
Bellamy was released after suffering a shoulder injury that forced him to miss half of 2019 and the entire 2020 campaign. He never played in the NFL again and is unlikely to do so now, following his sentencing.
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