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Former Democrat Rising Star Now Facing 25 Years In Prison


As some of you may remember Democrat Andrew Gillum almost beat out Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2018 Gubernatorial Florida Race.

Gillum ultimately lost by less than 30,000 votes.

Now the 43 year-old politician is facing federal charges for allegedly lying to the FBI and misusing campaign funds.

If convicted, Gillum could face up to 25 years in prison.

Here’s what Trending Politics reported:

Five years ago, Democrat Andrew Gillum nearly shocked Florida’s political establishment, coming up just shy in the race for the governorship against Ron DeSantis. Now, the former Tallahassee mayor is fighting for his freedom in federal court.

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Since last year, Gillum has been battling federal charges of lying to the FBI and misusing campaign funds to enrich himself. In addition, the 43-year-old was recorded by undercover FBI agents while appearing to accept illegal gifts from developers who treated him to Broadway shows, hotel stays, and private tours of New York City.

If convicted, Gillum faces up to 20 years on each of his 17 counts of wire fraud and up to five years for giving false statements to FBI agents. Gillum sat down with the FBI in 2017 and denied ever soliciting illegal gifts, an indication that the alleged crimes stretch back to his time as mayor. He left Tallahassee’s highest office in 2018.

Throughout the case, Gillum has maintained his innocence.

“There’s been a target on my back ever since I was the mayor of Tallahassee,” he said after he was indicted. “They found nothing then, and I have full confidence that my legal team will prove my innocence now.”

Previously Gillum was mixed up in a controversy that resulted in a gay male prostitute overdosing in Gillum’s hotel room.

Here’s what Fox 13 News reported:

He almost became Florida’s governor, but now, former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum is preparing to go to trial Monday for federal corruption charges. He’s accused of defrauding campaign donors and lying to the FBI.

In 2018, Gillum nearly defeated former congressman Ron DeSantis in the Florida gubernatorial race losing by fewer than 34,000 votes.

Now, five years later, Gillum faces 17 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of lying to the FBI.

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Prosecutors allege Gillum and his longtime advisor now co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks, defrauded campaign mega-donors by soliciting money from organizations that thought they were donating to legitimate political causes.



 

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