Police say Christian Ziegler likely didn’t commit sexual battery, forward video voyeurism docs

SARASOTA, Fla. – Former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Christian Ziegler has been cleared of sexual battery following a recent investigation that drew national attention.

The Sarasota Police Department confirmed to Florida’s Voice that the case has been forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office for “further review” and investigators “prepared a probable cause affidavit for the felony crime of Video Voyeurism” against Ziegler.

Video voyeurism is when a person “intentionally uses or installs an imaging device to secretly” record or view a person in a sexual form without their consent, especially where that person has an expectation of privacy, under Florida law, among other classifications.

Ziegler had previously said he is innocent and believes he will be exonerated.

“As with all cases, Sarasota Police detectives handled this case with the utmost diligence and impartiality. Ziegler has cooperated with Sarasota Police throughout the investigation,” a statement said.

On Oct. 4, 2023, detectives began an investigation into an alleged sexual battery that involved Ziegler as the suspect, police said.

Police previously said the investigation revealed the victim and Ziegler have known each other for 20 years and they agreed to have a sexual encounter that included Ziegler’s wife.

Police said Ziegler and the victim were communicating via text and Instagram on Oct. 2, 2023. When the victim learned that Bridget Ziegler could not make it, she said she changed her mind and cancelled on Christian because Bridget Ziegler was not coming, the document said.

The affidavit said that on Oct. 2, 2023, the victim said she opened her door to walk her dog and Christian was standing outside, entered the apartment, bent the victim over the bar stool and vaginally penetrated her with his penis. She claimed she was “not in a place to consent.”

During the investigation, the detectives “conducted nearly one dozen interviews, issued numerous subpoenas, reviewed hours of surveillance footage, and searched through a substantial number of images and videos on cell phones and their respective cloud data backups.”

The video, which was recorded by Ziegler on his cell phone, showed that the encounter was “likely consensual,” the department said.

Therefore, detectives were “unable to develop probable cause to charge Ziegler with Sexual Battery.”

After conducting an additional follow-up interview with the victim and after showing the victim the video recording of the sex act, the victim advised Sarasota Police detectives that “she was unaware and did not consent to being video recorded.”

“The Sarasota Police Department remains committed to upholding the law and ensuring justice is served. The Twelfth Judicial Circuit Office of the State Attorney will provide further updates as this case progresses through the legal system,” the press release said.

Earlier in the month, Ziegler lost his position as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida during a special meeting amid the ongoing investigation. Bridget Ziegler resigned from her position at the Leadership Institute, sources previously told Florida’s Voice.

Florida’s Voice reached out to Ziegler for comment on this story and will provide an update if a response is received.