Florida State Representative Reggie Fullwood Indicted For Wire Fraud Involving Campaign Funds 

United States Attorney’s Office announced on Friday the unsealing of an indictment against Florida State Representative Reggie Fullwood. The USAO has charged with 10 counts of wire fraud. The USAO also charged Fullwood with 4 counts of failure to file federal income tax returns.

Reggie Fullwood faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud offense. He could also face a year of imprisonment for failure to file income tax. The indictment also notifies Reggie Fullwood that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $65,445, the proceeds of the criminal conduct charged in counts one through ten.

The indictment also notifies Reggie Fullwood that the USOA is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $65,445. This equals the proceeds of the criminal conduct charged in counts one through ten.

The indictment states Reggie Fullwood was seeking multiple elections to the Florida House when he transferred $65,000 from the “Reggie Fullwood Campaign” account to a bank account of Rhino Harbor, LLC. An entity owned by Fullwood.

The indictment alleges Fullwood used the financial contributions from the campaign account for personal expenditures. 

It also alleges that Fullwood concealed the embezzlement of campaign funds. The indictment alleges Fullwood submitted fraudulent campaign expenditure reports to the State. The reports included inflated and/or non-existent campaign expenses. 

A candidate or the spouse of a candidate may not use funds on deposit in a campaign account to defray normal living expenses for the candidate or the candidate’s family. 

Fullwood Also Didn’t File Tax Returns

The USAO alleges Reggie Fullwood also willfully failed to file personal federal income tax returns. Fullwood did not file for calendar years 2010 through 2013.

“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. “No public official gets a free pass to ignore the tax laws, and IRS-CI works to ensure that everyone pays their fair share.” 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless,  and until, proven guilty.