Andrew Gillum, the 2018 Democratic nominee for Florida governor and former Tallahassee mayor, was reportedly arrested on Wednesday (June 22) on federal campaign-related charges after a lengthy investigation into public corruption in the city.
According to USA Today, Sharon Lettman-Hicks, a longtime advisor to Gillum, was also arrested on the same charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida confirmed the charges in an announcement.
Both were named as defendants in a 21-count indictment. They both stand accused of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements to a federal investigator.
According to the federal indictment, between 2016 and 2019, Gillum, 42 and Lettman-Hicks, 53, 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.
" They are also accused of using third parties to divert funds to a company owned by Lettman-Hicks, who is CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, a Black LGBTQ civil rights organization. The funds were then provided to Gillum for his personal use disguised as payroll payments.