United StatesRepresentative, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, has been indicted on allegations that she stole $5 million in federal disaster funds and diverted a portion to her 2021 congressional campaign, according to the Department of Justice.
AP News reported that, federal prosecutors, accuse the Democrat of misappropriating overpayments made to her family’s business, Trinity Healthcare Services, through a federally funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract. Investigators say some of the excess funds were funneled into campaign contributions.
Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the allegations, saying, “Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime. No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.”
Efforts to obtain comment from Cherfilus-McCormick’s Washington office were unsuccessful.
Cherfilus-McCormick entered Congress in 2022, representing Florida’s 20th District, which includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, after the death of longtime Representative Alcee Hastings.
The allegations follow a December 2024 lawsuit filed by a Florida state agency accusing Trinity Healthcare Services of overcharging the state by nearly $5.8 million during the pandemic and failing to reimburse the excess.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management said concerns emerged after a single $5 million payment appeared questionable.
Cherfilus-McCormick was serving as Trinity’s CEO at the time. A January report by the Office of Congressional Ethics revealed her 2021 income exceeded her 2020 earnings by more than $6 million, attributed mainly to consulting and profit-sharing from the company.
In July, the House Ethics Committee unanimously voted to extend the mandate of an investigative subcommittee to further probe the accusations against her.
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