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Andrew Gillum, a 42-year-old former Florida politician, was indicted on June 22, 2022, on 21 counts related to felony, including conspiracy and wire fraud.
Gillum had a decorated career as a politician, serving as the 126th Mayor of Tallahassee while also running as a Democrat representative for the Government of Florida in 2018.
Yesterday, the U.S. Attorney's office in the Northern District of Florida indicted Andrew Gillum on a litany of corruption-related charges. According to Rolling Stone, Gillum had allegedly misdirected funds for his election campaign to one of his advisors, Sharon Lettman-Hicks, who then offered the money back to him.
The Associated Press reported that Sharon Lettman-Hicks, the 53-year-old owner of a communications company, is a co-defendant in the wire fraud charges.
Andrew Gillum and Sharon Lettman-Hicks made their first appearance in Federal Court on Wednesday. August 16 is set to be their trial date.
Charges and allegations against Andrew Gillum
According to prosecutors, Andrew Gillum and Sharon Lettman-Hicks, who was identified by the New York Times as his mentor, allegedly conspired to misdirect election donation funds through third-party entities.
The complaint sheet read:
"(Gillum and Lettman-Hicks) conspired to commit wire fraud, by unlawfully soliciting and obtaining funds from various entities and individuals through false and fraudulent promises and representations that the funds would be used for a legitimate purpose."
According to various news outlets, Gillum was also charged with lying to FBI agents about having received bribes from two undercover agents posing as developers who needed political support for their projects.
Andrew Gillum was once considered a rising star within the Florida Democratic party. Despite losing the 2018 election for governor, he found success as a CNN analyst.
However, the 21 charges are not the first time Gillum has encountered controversy. He has been accused of misconduct, grand theft, and corruption in the past. As per the Orlando Sentinel, he was also accused of accepting gifts in exchange for favors.
Andrew Gillum vehemently denies the charges, claiming that he has been indicted for political reasons.
In a statement released through his lawyers, he said:
"Make no mistake that this case is not legal, it is political. Throughout my career I have always stood up for the people of Florida and have spoken truth to power."
Expressing how he feels lthere's a conspiracy at play against him, he added:
"There’s been a target on my back ever since I was the mayor of Tallahassee. They found nothing then, and I have full confidence that my legal team will prove my innocence now."
With a series of criminal charges, it is unlikely that Gillum will be able to revive his political career. If convicted of wire fraud, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
