Florida State Rep. Harding Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Making False Statements

Florida state Rep. Joe Harding has been indicted on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements related to COVID-19 relief funding.
According to the Dec. 7 Indictment, the United States Department of Justice has indicted Harding on two acts of wire fraud by participating in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by filing false statements to obtain more than $150,000 in coronavirus-related small business loans. For the purpose of executing such a scheme, Harding caused wire communications to be transmitted in interstate commerce. The indictment further alleges that Harding filed fraudulent SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications using fraudulent bank statements in the names of dormant business entities as supporting documentation. The activities are alleged to have taken place between Dec. 1, 2020, and March 1, 2021….}