TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Andrew Gillum, the 2018 Democratic nominee for Florida governor, was indicted on charges including conspiracy and 19 counts of wire fraud, the United States Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
Gillum, 42, surrendered to federal authorities in Tallahassee on Wednesday. He is also charged with making false statements to the FBI.
He pleaded not guilty in a court appearance on Wednesday afternoon. His co-defendant, 53-year-old Janet Lettman-Hicks, also faces wire fraud charges and pleaded not guilty. A trial date was set for Aug. 16. Both were released without bail with instructions not to leave the Northern District of Florida without permission.
The 21-count indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Florida. It alleges that between 2016 and 2019, 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.”
Lettman-Hicks then used her communications company to fraudulently give money to Gillum disguised as payroll payments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Northern District of Floridafice said in a news release. One of the charges stems from a 2016 trip to New York City and tickets to a Broadway show. They were paid for by undercover FBI agents posing as a developer. In interviews, Gillum allegedly denied receiving anything from the developer.
COURT DOCUMENT: Andrew Gillum indictment
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
Gillum faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison if convicted.
Gillum released the following statement Wednesday about the federal grand jury indictment:
“I have spent the last 20 years of my life in public service and continue to fight for the people. Every campaign I’ve run has been done with integrity. 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. 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.”
Andrew Gillum, Former Florida gubernatorial candidate
News4JAX spoke with a federal prosecutor not associated with this case. He said it’s noteworthy that the statute of limitation on one of Gillum’s charges expired in less than 30 days.
“Now, the FBI was doing undercover back in 2016 and 17, you know, so we’re talking five and six years ago,” said Curtis Fallgatter, a high-profile defense attorney. “So it shouldn’t have taken that long, really, and the last conduct alleges 2020 -- that was two years ago. So, yeah, it’s pretty rare for them to spend five or six years investigating and then returning charges on the eve of the expiration of the statute limitations.”
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It’s the latest trouble for Gillum, who lost to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in a race that required a recount. Gillum fell 32,464 votes short of being elected out of more than 8.2 million ballots cast.
Gillum served as mayor of Tallahassee before running for governor. He won a crowded Democratic primary against better-funded candidates with 34.4% of the vote, stunning political observers. The charismatic politician won over the hearts of hardcore Democratic activists and ran a strong grassroots campaign. After losing, Gillum was still seen as a rising star in Democratic politics and was hired as a CNN analyst.
In March 2020, Gillum was found intoxicated and unconscious in a hotel room with two men, including one who works as a male escort. Two days, later he entered a rehabilitation center.