Ron DeSantis’ Ex-Rival Andrew Gillum Surrenders Passport In Court After Being Accused Of Wire Fraud
Jul. 21 2022, Published 1:55 p.m. ET
Ron DeSantis’ ex-gubernatorial rival Andrew Gillum has turned his passport over to the court as he awaits trial on corruption charges, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the former politician surrendered the passport after being hit with a 21-count indictment in federal court.
In 2018, Gillum ran as the nominee for the Florida Democratic Party in 2019, where he narrowly lost the race to DeSantis.
Prosecutors accuse Gillum and his mentor Sharon Lettman-Hicks of wire fraud and conspiracy. In court documents, the government said Gillum and Lettman-Hicks raised money for his campaign between 2016 and 2019.
The two allegedly diverted fundraiser money to a company owned by Lettman-Hicks. Prosecutors said the duo paid the money out to Gillum disguised as payroll — despite the money being used for personal expenses.
Gillum pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer said after the indictment was unsealed, "The government got it wrong today. The evidence, in this case, is clear and will show that Mr. Gillum is innocent of all charges."
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Gillum and Lettman-Hicks have been instructed not to speak to each other or have any conversations with witnesses involved with the case.
Recently, Lettman-Hicks asked the court for a delay claiming her defense was not properly prepared for trial. Her attorney said, "The case involves voluminous discovery which is ongoing. The government and the defense have been working diligently in the discovery process. A trial is believed to require two weeks."
The judge has yet to rule.
The criminal case is the latest in a string of scandals for Gillum. Back in 2020, he had to deal with police after a male escort overdosed in his Miami Beach hotel room. Cops found three bags of drugs that they believed to be crystal meth. When questioned, Gillum admitted he had “too much to drink” but denied using hard drugs.
The escort spoke out weeks after the incident claiming he had been friends with Gillum “for a while.”
After the incident, Gillum entered rehab for alcohol. Months later, the politician later sat down for an interview with his wife R. Jai on The Tamron Hall Show.
During the chat, Gillum dropped a bombshell and came out as bisexual.
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