An ex-Florida state representative who sponsored legislation banning classroom discussion about gender identity and sexual orientation in Florida’s primary schools was convicted Tuesday of fraudfully obtaining tens to thousands of dollars through a federal Covid relief program.
A hearing was held in the U.S. District Court for Northern Florida. Republican Joseph Harding entered a guilty Plea to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. This stemmed from a six-count federal grand jury indictment.
The guilty plea before Judge Allen Winsor was a reversal from a previous not guilty plea by Harding, who resigned his House seat shortly after he was indicted.
A new court filing shows that Harding, 35 years old, admitted to making materially false statements in his application for an economic disaster loan in December 2020. This was for a company with no business activity or that was dormant.
Harding fraudulently obtained $150,000 Covid relief funds from Small Business Administration. He then made three transfers totaling more than $10,000 each to his joint bank account to pay his credit card and to fund a bank account that was linked to a business entity. Court documents reveal this.
Harding was the first to be elected in 2020. He previously stated in a Facebook statement that he had repaid every penny of the loan and that he would tell his story when that time comes.
Peg O’Connor, Harding’s lawyer, stated Tuesday that “Mr. Harding made his best decision under the circumstances to safeguard his family and future.” We look forward to sharing information at sentencing which will give us a better picture of Mr. Harding and provide some insight into his character.”
Trump and Biden distributed approximately $5 trillion in Covid relief funds. The Government Accountability Office has shown that at least $2Billion in Covid-relief fraud was recovered. However, experts estimate that coronavirus Fraud could amount to more than a quarter trillion dollars.
Harding was a Florida House member and sponsored a measure banning “classroom discussions about sexual orientation or gender identification” in Florida’s primary schools. Republican Gov. John Kasich signed the legislation later. Ron DeSantis.
Harding could face a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment on the wire fraud charge, ten years for money laundering, and five additional years for making false statements.
His sentencing hearing was set for July 25, in Gainesville.
