Staff Reports
Former State Rep. Joseph Harding of Williston was sentenced in Gainesville to four months in federal prison on Thursday to wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements in connection with COVID relief fraud.
According to press release, Jason Coody of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentence.
Harding, 36, a Republican state representative for House District 24 which covers most of Marion County, resigned from his seat in early December 2022 just after he was re-elected to the position. He pled guilty to the charges on March 21.
“The theft of any amount of taxpayer funds is inexcusable,” said Coody in the press release. “However, the defendant’s deceptive acts of diverting emergency financial assistance from small businesses during the pandemic is simply beyond the pale. Today’s sentence both punishes the defendant’s criminal conduct and should serve as a significant deterrent to others who would selfishly steal from their fellow citizens to unlawfully enrich themselves. With our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in acts of COVID-19 related fraud.”
Harding submitted false and fraudulent applications for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for one of his dormant business entities, which he obtained $150,000 in COVID relief funds which he wasn’t entitled to, according to the release. He then conducted three transactions of more than $10,000 in a transfer to his joint bank account, in transferring funds into a third-party entity business bank account and by making a payment to his credit card.
“Mr. Harding egregiously betrayed the public trust by stealing from COVID relief funds meant to help the very people who elected him.,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Payne, IRS Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office, in the press release. “Greed and public service should never meet, but when they do, we stand ready to ensure bad actors are held responsible for their actions.”
After Harding serves his four-month sentence, he will be on two years of supervised release.
“Mr. Harding abused a program that was designed to ease the suffering of the constituents who elected him to serve in their best interests,” says Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division in the press release. “Instead of using thousands of dollars in federal funds to help keep struggling businesses afloat and honest workers employed, he selfishly diverted it for his own personal gain. The FBI will hold accountable anyone who takes advantage of those in need, and we remain committed to working with our partners to ensure fraudsters are brought to justice.”
He said he returned all the money and was truly sorry before at least 200 people. I was there. This is sad. City, County, State and Federal employees and politicians spend taxpayer money on the sly. There are people from India trying to sell small business owner ERC money by phone. This must stop.