Joe Harding indicted on wire fraud, money laundering charges - Florida Politics

A national expansive assemblage has indicted Republican Rep. Joe Harding of House District 24 connected six felony counts, including wealth laundering and ligament fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

The indictment alleges that betwixt Dec. 1, 2020 and March 1, 2021, Harding committed 2 acts of ligament fraud done a strategy to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) and by obtaining COVID-19-related tiny concern loans done mendacious and fraudulent pretenses.

It alleges helium made fraudulent applications for Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans, including by utilizing the names of dormant businesses. It besides alleges Harding obtained fraudulently created slope statements for 1 of the dormant businesses, utilized arsenic supporting documentation for 1 of the indebtedness applications.

“By this conduct, the indictment alleges that Harding fraudulently obtained and attempted to get much than $150,000 successful funds from the SBA to which helium was not entitled,” a U.S. Department of Justice wrote successful a property release.

“Harding is besides charged with 2 counts of engaging successful monetary transactions with funds derived from unlawful enactment related to his transportation of the fraudulently obtained (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) proceeds into 2 slope accounts, and 2 counts of making mendacious statements to the SBA.”

A proceedings for Harding is acceptable for Jan. 11, 2023 astatine 8:30 a.m. astatine the U.S. Courthouse successful Gainesville. United States District Judge Allen Winsor volition preside.

If convicted, Harding faces up to 20 years successful situation for ligament fraud, up to 10 years for wealth laundering and up to 5 years for making mendacious statements.

According to Gary Fineout of POLITICO, Harding has already been released connected bond, and the authorities did not look to detain Harding.

The indictment, the DOJ notes, is not grounds of guilt, which volition beryllium determined astatine trial. But Harding has already mislaid his committee assignments for the upcoming legislative term.

“After consultation with Representative Harding regarding his indictment, I americium temporarily removing him from his committee assignments to let him clip to absorption connected this matter,” Speaker Paul Renner said Wednesday successful a written statement.

“In America we adhere to the regularisation of law, and arsenic such, Representative Harding is presumed guiltless and volition person the accidental to plead his lawsuit earlier a court. Since the indictment does not subordinate to immoderate facet of his legislative duties, immoderate further questions should beryllium directed to his ineligible counsel.”

The Governor cannot region a lawmaker from office, adjacent if arrested. The Florida Constitution states that “each location shall beryllium the sole justice of the qualifications” of members. To expel a lawmaker, each enclosure needs a two-thirds bulk vote.

The indictment comes aft a associated probe from the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Inspector General and the SBA Office of Inspector General.

Assistant United States Attorneys David Byron and Justin Keen are prosecuting the case.

Harding was archetypal elected to the House successful 2020 and subsequently re-elected this year, representing a information of Marion County.

The Republican lawmaker is best known for sponsoring House Bill 1557, the Parental Rights successful Education authorities which critics person labeled the “Don’t Say Gay” law. The Republican-led Legislature passed the measure this twelvemonth and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it. It took effect July 1.

“Those are superior allegations of corruption,” Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith said successful absorption to the indictment. “The courts volition benignant done that sordid messiness but we cognize he’s made galore mendacious statements astir the LGBTQ community. Florida parents are forced to navigate schools that are little harmless for their children due to the fact that Joe Harding’s governmental ambitions cognize nary bounds.”

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