Andrew Gillum facing federal corruption charges: What we know about the trial
Rachel Schilke
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Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum appeared in court on Monday on federal corruption charges after being accused of defrauding investors and lying to the FBI.
Gillum, 43, who is also the former mayor of Tallahassee, lost to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in the 2018 campaign, falling short by less than 34,000 votes. Now, he faces 17 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of making false statements.
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Here’s what is known so far about the case.
Who is Andrew Gillum?
Five years ago, Gillum was a rising star in Florida politics. He made national headlines in 2018 by receiving the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for governor to replace Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).
He almost defeated DeSantis, who has since become a rising star and a potential 2024 presidential candidate.
However, his rise to stardom abruptly fell beginning in 2020, when he was found by police in a South Beach home in the company of a man who appeared to have overdosed on drugs, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
What crimes did Gillum allegedly commit?
In 2022, a federal grand jury out of the Northern District of Florida returned a 21-count indictment against Gillum and Sharon Lettman-Hicks, 54, his longtime adviser. Prosecutors argue that the pair defrauded megadonors by soliciting money through “false and fraudulent promises and representations that the funds would be used for a legitimate purpose.”
The day after Gillum lost to DeSantis, his campaign sent $60,000 in campaign funds to Letteman-Hicks’s company, P&P Communications, to pay for expenses related to his “Get Out The Vote” efforts. Lettman-Hicks also allegedly made four $5,000 transfers, marked as “bonuses,” to Gillum’s personal bank account.
In total, Gillum is accused of pocketing almost $57,000 in donor funds for personal usage.
His lies to FBI officials date back to 2016, prosecutors argue. Undercover FBI agents posing as real-estate developers paid for part of a trip that Gillum and his brother took to New York City. The agents paid for his food and drinks, a boat ride, his hotel, and a ticket to see Hamilton, a musical.
However, in 2017, Gillum sat down voluntarily with FBI agents and said he never received gifts from developers.
What is the timeline for Gillum’s trial?
Gillum made an initial appearance on June 22, 2022, to be arraigned. At the time, he faced 21 counts.
However, a federal grand jury released an updated indictment last week that dropped two charges of wire fraud, bringing his total count to 19. Despite defense counsel being outraged at the abrupt release of charges, neither defendant has asked to delay the trial.
Jury selection in the trial began on Monday, with the trial expected to last about three weeks. It is a joint trial after the judge ruled that their cases were too closely linked to separate them, despite a request from both defendants.
The maximum terms of imprisonment vary based on the charges. Gillum could face a total of 45 years: 20 years for wire fraud, 20 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and five years for making false statements. If convicted, however, the sentences are likely to run concurrently, or at the same time, instead of consecutively.
Gillum has denied any wrongdoing, saying the investigation is politically motivated.
“There’s been a target on my back ever since I was the mayor of Tallahassee,” Gillum said after being indicted in June 2022. “They found nothing then, and I have full confidence that my legal team will prove my innocence now.”
Defense lawyers for Gillum are putting forward a confident front that he will be acquitted.
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“This is our chance to show Andrew’s innocence, and we’re looking forward to it,” attorney David Markus said via the Tampa Bay Times.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor, who was appointed to the federal bench by President Donald Trump in 2018, is presiding over the trial. Winsor has rejected several petitions and requests from Gillum in this case, including one that asked for a dismissal of the case on political grounds.