Florida Rep. Corrine Brown and her chief of staff pleaded not guilty to 24 counts of fraud and other federal charges Friday afternoon.
The 23-year Democratic veteran of Congress and Elias “Ronnie” Simmons, 50, were indicted earlier Friday after a federal investigation found that the two embezzled funds from a bogus charity. Brown and Simmons are charged with committing mail and wire fraud, conspiracy, obstruction and filing of false tax returns for the One Door for Education Foundation Inc.
Federal prosecutors said the defendants purported to give scholarships to poor students, but instead lined their own pockets with $800,000 in donations and grants they received.
But the lawmaker maintained she and her top staffer were innocent.
“My heart is just really heavy. But I’m looking forward to a speedy day in court to vindicate myself,” Brown told people outside the federal courthouse in Jacksonville, Fla., Friday afternoon. “We will present the other side.”
The two were each released on $50,000 bail. They are set to appear in court July 26 for a status hearing. The trial has been set for Sept. 6, just two months before voters go to the polls to decide whether to re-elect Brown in the 5th Congressional District of Florida.
Brown and Simmons each face more than 350 years in prison and $5 million in fines.
