ERIC FOGLESONG

One of those cases involved the ghost candidate scheme in the 9th District state Senate race in 2020. A third party ghost candidate, Jestine Iannotti, who didn’t campaign, received nearly 5,800 votes. Watch: Woman accused in Seminole County ‘ghost candidate’ investigation takes the standParis was convicted on campaign finance violations on Thursday. Greenberg told investigators in a jailhouse interview that Brodeur was aware of the plan to run a ghost candidate in his race. According to a 119-page transcript from the June 23 jailhouse interview, Greenberg told investigators Brodeur was present along with Ben Paris during conversations about running a third-party candidate.

SANFORD, Fla. — The Seminole County Republican party chairman at the center of a “ghost candidate” investigation was found guilty by a jury Thursday afternoon. Benjamin Paris was accused of illegally using his cousin’s name to make a campaign contribution to an NPA candidate for the District 9 Senate race in 2020. Read: Jury returns guilty verdict in ‘ghost candidate’ case against GOP leader in Seminole CountyDuring closing arguments Thursday morning, prosecutors told jurors that Paris conspired with District 9 Senate candidate Jestine Iannotti and political consultant Eric Foglesong to illegally use the name of another person to make a campaign contribution to Iannotti’s campaign. Watch: 3 charged in connection with 2020 state Senate race ‘ghost candidate’ controversyParis’ defense attorney claimed the state did not prove where the money came from, and that there was no proof that Paris donated the money. Read: Third-party ghost candidate in local Senate race the focus of FDLE investigationTrial dates for Foglesong and Iannotti have yet to be set.

SANFORD, Fla. — The fate of the head of Seminole County’s Republican Party is now in the hands of a jury. Watch: Woman accused in Seminole County ‘ghost candidate’ investigation takes the standBenjamin Paris is accused of illegally using the name of his cousin to make a campaign contribution to an NPA candidate for the District 9 Senate race in 2020. Watch: 3 charged in connection with 2020 state Senate race ‘ghost candidate’ controversyThey said there is a mountain of evidence that they put into a timeline of phone calls and text messages between the three individuals during May and June of 2020. But the biggest piece of evidence was from Paris’ cousin, Steven Smith, whose name appears on the campaign contribution list. Read: Third-party ghost candidate in local Senate race the focus of FDLE investigationSmith said he never met Iannotti or Foglesong.

Jury selection began Monday in the first of three criminal trials related to Seminole County’s so-called “ghost candidate” scheme to influence a 2020 Florida senate election.

A political consultant who is accused of helping put a “ghost candidate” on a ballot to siphon off votes from the Democratic candidate in a state Senate race in central Florida has pleaded not guilty to election finance-related charges during his first court appearance.

Three people are facing state charges related to a scheme to influence a Florida Senate race with a so-called “ghost candidate” during the 2020 election, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.