Former Florida state lawmaker pleads responsible to laundering COVID aid cash, may face 35 years in jail

Former Florida state Consultant Joseph Harding pleaded responsible to wire fraud, cash laundering and making false statements for COVID-19 aid cash, in accordance with the Division of Justice (DOJ).

The disgraced ex-lawmaker faces as much as 35 years in jail.

Harding, a Republican member of the Florida Home of Representatives from 2020 till his resignation in 2022, is accused of searching for COVID aid loans from the Small Enterprise Administration (SBA) in 2020.

In keeping with an indictment, the 35-year-old allegedly stuffed out two purposes for COVID-19 aid cash for fabricated companies — Vak Shack Inc. and Harding Farms. 

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Harding said in an utility for an Financial Harm Catastrophe Mortgage (EIDL) that the 2 companies had over a half a dozen workers and gross income of greater than $800,000 from the earlier 12 months. Nevertheless, in accordance with the indictment, the businesses had no workers, and so they had been dormant for months earlier than the purposes have been filed.

Harding utilized for $150,000 in loans “he was not entitled” to, in accordance with the DOJ. After receiving the proceeds, whereas he was nonetheless in workplace, Harding allegedly made three unlawful financial transactions, every totaling greater than $10,000. 

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The previous state consultant transferred the cash to his joint checking account, transferred cash right into a checking account of a third-party enterprise and made a fee on a bank card invoice, the indictment says.

Harding’s sentencing listening to is scheduled for July 25, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the USA Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida. Harding faces jail time for wire fraud, cash laundering and making false statements.

Harding and his legal professionals didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark. 

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