Former Chiefs receiver gets jail time for spending COVID funds on jewelry

Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Josh Bellamy ran the wrong route when he decided to participate in a fraudulent scheme to use government-provided funds intended as COVID relief for his own personal gain. On Monday he found out his punishment when he was sentenced to pay restitution and spend 3 years and 1 month in federal prison.

Back in June, Bellamy pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a greater ongoing scheme centered with an accomplice who filled out the falsified paperwork. For his part, Bellamy stated that his own company, Drip Entertainment LLC, needed $1.2 million in help from the Paycheck Protection Program—otherwise known as seeking out PPP loans during the global pandemic.

Many small businesses were able to pay their bills during an uncertain time because of the availability of these funds but shadier characters used it as a chance to get rich quickly and defraud the program. Bellamy stated he needed help due to lost wages, but per news reports, Bellamy instead bought for himself jewelry and casino stay.

Former Chiefs WR Josh Bellamy was sentenced to 37 months in prison.

Bellamy should be a familiar name to Chiefs fans who were around before Andy Reid was head coach. Bellamy signed with the team as a rookie free agent out of Louisville after going undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft. From there, he remained on the Chiefs roster through 2012 and even made the active roster late in the season before sticking around through the entire offseason in John Dorsey’s first year on the job., However, Bellamy didn’t make the active roster in 2013 and was let go.

Since that time, Bellamy joined the Chargers and Washington before finding a semi-permanent home with the Chicago Bears. In the Windy City, Bellamy had 76 of his 78 career catches from 2014-2018, a stint in which he appeared in 67 games for the Bears. He finally left Chicago to the New York Jets on a two-year deal worth up to $5 million. He only lasted 7 games with New York before getting injured and ultimately falling out of football.