State Rep. Reggie Fullwood has been indicted on 10 counts of wire fraud and four counts of failure to file federal income tax returns, U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III announced Friday.
If convicted, Fullwood faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud offense and one year for each failure to file charge.
RELATED: The news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The indictment said while Fullwood was seeking election to the Florida House and during his re-election campaigns, he caused numerous electronic funds transfers from “The Reggie Fullwood Campaign” account to a bank account of an entity he owned, Rhino Harbor LLC.
Fullwood then used about $65,000 in financial contributions for personal expenditures. They include restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores, florists, gas stations and liquor stores.
The indictment also said Fullwood submitted or caused to be submitted false and fraudulent campaign expenditure reports to the state.
Campaign funds by law can’t be used for normal living expenses for the candidate or his family, with the exception of transportation, meals and lodging during campaign efforts.
“Public officials, whether elected or appointed, hold positions of trust in the eyes of the public. That trust is broken when these officials commit crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Kim Lappin, IRS-Tampa Field Office, in a news release. “No public official gets a free pass to ignore the tax laws.”
The case will be investigated by the Internal Revenue Service — Criminal Investigation and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Devereaux will prosecute the case.
Rhino Harbor LLC, activated in 2002, was a commercial and residential real estate development and consulting firm. It was dissolved in 2010.