Jim Beck’s voice broke as he addressed the judge in federal court, for the first time admitting what the jury in his federal trial had decided back in July: He is to blame for a fraud and money laundering scheme which the federal government says bilked his former employer out of more than $2.5 million.

“I hear and accept the jury’s verdict,” the 60-year-old said, noting that he loves his wife, Lucy, with all of his heart--but that his actions brought heartache to her door. “I’m completely and totally responsible.” His family had never let him down, said Beck.

“I failed them.

U. S. District Judge Mark Cohen sentenced Beck to 87 months in federal prison. The federal prison system has no parole, but with good behavior behind bars, inmates can shave about 15% off their total sentence. When Beck gets out, he will be on supervised release for three years and as part of that, must undergo a mental health treatment program. Cohen granted a defense request that Beck not be required to report to the Bureau of Prisons before December 1, 2021.

Jurors found Beck guilty on 37 counts of fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. As the general manager of operations for the Georgia Underwriting Association, a last-resort insurer for homeowners, Beck created sham companies who allegedly contracted with GUA, then funneled millions of dollars into those phony companies for his own benefit. The Republican was elected to the Insurance Commissioner’s job in 2018, and indicted months after taking office in 2019.

Beck, who also held a leadership position with the Georgia Christian Coalition, told the judge this incident was not evidence of him being a successful businessman.

U. S. District Judge Mark Cohen said Beck’s is one of the most severe cases of fraud and money laundering he has seen on the bench. He noted Beck, who had had a long career in government and was in good standing both in the community and financially, was “pretty much set for life” before launching this scheme.

“There was no reason for a man who has so much to do this, other than...greed?...hubris?” Cohen said, adding that Beck had also “used friends and family” to set up the scam.

Cohen told Beck he should be grateful that he has so many people in his corner. At the sentencing, Lucy Beck told the judge that her husband is now “broken and repentant.” Beck’s sister, brother-in-law, and former pastor all spoke on his behalf, and attorneys submitted 87 letters from people who support Beck.

“He’s done some good for people,” said the judge.

Defense attorney Randy Chartash says people believe in Beck.

“He may have affected them not in a great way, but they still believe in him,” Chartash said outside the federal courthouse. “He’s a good man and the letters reflect that. Unfortunately the judge heard in the two-week trial of this episode, and the jury spoke--guilty--but overall, he’s a really quite remarkable man.”

Defense attorney Bill Thomas noted the judge took note of Beck’s humanity in imposing seven years and three months in prison instead of the 10 years prosecutors wanted.

“What [Beck] got across in his statement was that he fully respects the verdict of the jury, he accepts responsibility for where we are today, he is repentant, and that the facts that led up to this won’t be an issue again for him,” says Thomas.

Of Beck’s emotion, Thomas said, “It was a tough day for Mr. Beck. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.”

Still, Judge Cohen excoriated the testimony Beck had given at trial, which he called “unbelievable” and “outrageous” in its efforts to obstruct justice.

“It appeared he was making it up as he was going along,” said Cohen.

Beck will have to pay more than $2.6 million in restitution to Cincinnati Insurance, which made GUA whole after its losses. More than $358,000 of that will go to the IRS.

“This was not being a bad businessman,” said Judge Cohen. “This was being a fraud.”

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