Former Rep. Corrine Brown announces run for Congress after pleading guilty to tax fraud

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Former Florida Rep. Corrine Brown (D) announced her Congressional run for Florida’s 10th Congressional District Thursday, just a little less than a month after pleading guilty to tax fraud. 

Brown, 75, reportedly filed her candidacy papers in Tallahassee, according to Yahoo News. 

The Florida Democrat was sentenced to 5 years in jail in 2017 after the jury found she had committed mail, wire, and tax fraud and charged her with 18 of the 22 charges. 

Brown and her colleagues were found to have been stealing money via a sham charity called "One Door For Education" wherein they funneled money to themselves after purporting that the charity money would go towards children's scholarships. Prosecutors alleged that Brown and her colleagues brought in over $800,000 between 2012 and 2016, according to The Associated Press.

EX-FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC REP. CORRINE BROWN SENTENCED FOR MAIL, WIRE AND TAX FRAUD INVOLVING SHAM CHARITY

Brown then claimed she was in the dark about the happenings in the charity and put the blame on her former chief of staff, Elias "Ronnie" Simmons.

Former Rep. Corrine Brown of Florida, was released early from federal prison where she was serving a five-year sentence for fraud and other crimes related to a bogus charity over coronavirus concerns. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) ((Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call))

Brown was also found to have had her certified public accountant file individual income tax returns from 2009-2015 for the 2008-2014 tax years that did not include "income associated with cash deposits" to her bank accounts, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Middle District of Florida. 

FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2015 file photo, Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla. talks with the press in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP)

EX-REP. CORRINE BROWN GUILTY ON FRAUD, TAX EVASION CHARGES

The former representative served approximately two years of her five-year sentence before authorities released her in April 2020, citing concerns that her age would make her more susceptible to catching the coronavirus.

Corrine Brown headshot, former US Representative of Florida, graphic element on gray (AP) (AP)

She scheduled a change-of-plea hearing in May 2022 before her second trial was set to take place on Sept. 12. Chief Judge Timothy J. Corrigan accepted her plea and sentenced Brown to the time she had already served. Brown was also required to pay $62,650.99 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. 

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Prior to her convictions, Brown had served in Congress from 1993 to 2017 before she was defeated in the 2016 primary. 

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Brown will now be running up against other Democratic congressional candidates in this year's primary elections on August 23.