Democrat Andrew Gillum, who narrowly lost the 2018 governor’s race to Republican Ron DeSantis, was indicted on charges of wire fraud and making false statements to the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced Wednesday. Also indicated was Sharon Lettman-Hicks, a Gillum associate who is running this year for a Tallahassee-area state House seat.
A news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Gillum and Lettman-Hicks are accused of taking part in a scheme to solicit money “from various entities and individuals through false and fraudulent promises and representations that the funds would be used for a legitimate purpose.”
A company owned by Lettman-Hicks ultimately provided part of the money, disguised as payroll payments, to Gillum for his personal use, the news release said. Gillum, a former Tallahassee mayor, issued a statement disputing the allegations.
“I have spent the last 20 years of my life in public service and continue to fight for the people,” Gillum said. “Every campaign I’ve run has been done with integrity. Make no mistake that this case is not legal, it is political.”
Gillum was scheduled Wednesday afternoon to make an initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Tallahassee.
Here’s the press release from the U.S. Attorney:
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal grand jury has returned a twenty-one count indictment against Andrew Demetric Gillum, 42, and Sharon Janet Lettman-Hicks, 53, both of Tallahassee, Florida. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The Indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2019, defendants 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. The Indictment further alleges the defendants used third parties to divert a portion of those funds to a company owned by Lettman-Hicks, who then fraudulently provided the funds, disguised as payroll payments, to Gillum for his personal use. Both defendants are charged with 19 counts of wire fraud. Gillum is also charged with making false statements to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The initial appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at 2:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee in the Magistrate Judge’s Courtroom on the main floor.
The maximum terms of imprisonment for the offenses are as follows:
- 5 years: Making False Statements
- 20 years: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- 20 years: Wire Fraud
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen M. Kunz and Andrew J. Grogan.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.