Correction: GOP 2016-Carson's Enterprises-ABRIDGED story

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a story Dec. 25 about Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson's business enterprises, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Lawrence Noble, a campaign-finance expert quoted in the story, was from the Campaign Finance Center.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Long before Ben Carson became one of the leading Republican presidential candidates, he built his own brand by traveling around the country raising money for a charity that bears his name, awarding college scholarships, promoting his books and earning hefty payments to speak to large groups.

All of this is part of a well-honed enterprise that promotes Ben Carson as presidential candidate, political commentator, paid speaker, author, neurosurgeon and champion of children, reading and God.

Carson's campaign imposed boundaries to separate his politicking from a two-week publicity tour promoting his latest book.

Since he declared his candidacy, more than 52,000 copies of versions of his signature book, Gifted Hands, have sold, according to industry statistics from Nielsen BookScan.

Carson has continued to give paid speeches since he declared his bid for the presidency, and in some cases, he's had political events around the same time.

Since May when he declared his candidacy, he's been paid to speak at seven events, bringing in between $210,000 and $500,000, according to a financial disclosure he was required by law to file in June.