TAMPA, Fla. — State Rep. Joe Harding, a Republican from north Florida, was indicted Wednesday on charges of money laundering and wire fraud after a federal grand jury said he falsely claimed two inactive businesses of his had employees in order to get coronavirus-related loans.
The federal indictment accuses Harding, R-Ocala, of scheming to defraud the Small Business Administration in order to get Economic Injury Disaster Loans, saying he obtained or attempted to obtain more than $150,000 “to which he was not entitled,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
Harding in a statement said he pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and said he wants “the public and my constituents to know that I fully repaid the loan and cooperated with investigators as requested.”
