Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum's trial is expected to finish up early next week after the prosecution rested its case on Thursday.
Gillum, who was the Democratic candidate for governor in 2018, and his co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks are facing several counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Gillum is also charged with lying to the FBI. They both pleaded not guilty after they were first indicted last summer.
The two are accused of conspiring to defraud campaign donors and grantors out of nearly $250,000, using Lettman-Hicks' firm P&P Communications to route the money into their personal accounts.
The alleged fraud took place throughout 2016 - 2018, leading up to and during Gillum's run for governor.
Starting in Feb. 2017, Gillum began receiving a six-figure salary from P&P Communications after he resigned from his position at People for the American Way, according to emails and financial records shown in court throughout the trial.
Attorneys for Gillum and Lettman-Hicks argue the money paid to P&P and Gillum was for legitimate work.
Over the last several days, prosecutors have brought in bank employees, FBI agents and witnesses who worked closely with Gillum and Lettman-Hicks during the time of the alleged fraud. They also showed the jury bank statements, check images, deposit slips, accounting records, budgets, final fiscal reports and other financial records.
On Wednesday, the prosecution went over the defendants' cell phone records to show text message exchanges and calls made between Gillum and Lettman-Hicks at the time of certain financial transactions related to the alleged fraud.
This morning, defense attorneys cross-examined Michael Wiederspahn, the FBI agent overseeing the investigation. He testified that agents don't know what Gillum and Lettman-Hicks discussed on those calls, only that they occurred close to the time of the transactions.
Defense attorneys will begin interviewing their witnesses this afternoon. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor told the jury on Wednesday that the trial is expected to last through early next week.
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