Florida Democratic Congresswoman Stole Millions In Disaster Relief To Make Illegal Campaign Contributions
Federal prosecutors are saying a Florida Democratic congresswoman stole millions of dollars in disaster relief to bolster her campaign.
Florida Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
Florida Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick represents a heavily-Democratic district outside Ft. Lauderdale. She has faced scrutiny for years. Why? No one could figure out how she was able to out fund raise her opponents in her first election. She ran in a special election in 2021 to fill the seat vacated by longtime Congressman Alcee Hastings.
Cherfilus-McCormick won the Democratic primary in Florida’s 20th District in November 2021 by just five votes.
Federal prosecutors now claim she laundered the proceeds her family’s health care company. The FBI alleges she received the money during the COVID pandemic. She then used them to support her campaign.
They explained that Cherfilus-McCormick was the CEO of her family-run company Trinity Health Care Services. The company received a contract at the start of the pandemic to conduct COVID testing and outreach in minority communities.
However, the state of Florida overpaid Cherfilus-McCormick’s company by $5.8 million the state received from FEMA.
Even though Trinity has agreed to pay $5.62 million in the settlement. It did not admit any wrongdoing in the case.
Federal prosecutors claim Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus conspired to steal that $5 million. The Feds allege the two routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source.
They say the congresswoman used the misappropriated funds to fund Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign.
Prosecutors have also charged David Spencer. Spencer helped Cherfilus-McCormick prepare her 2021 tax return.Â
The DOJ alleges that the pair ‘falsely claimed political spending and other personal expenses as business deductions. They also allegedly inflated charitable contributions in order to reduce her tax obligation.’
Spencer is now charged with conspiring to file a false federal tax return.Â
Florida Democratic Congresswoman’s Political History
Cherfilus-McCormick won the Democratic primary in Florida’s 20th District in November 2021 by just five votes.
She then won a full term in 2022. Then she won again in 2024. In 2024, she ran unopposed by Democrats and Republicans.
However, throughout her time in office she has been under scrutiny for her 2021 campaign contributions.
In 2022, Cherfilus-McCormick filed a defamation suit against her opponent, Dale Holness, who accused her of embezzling to win the seat, according to NBC Miami.Â
In December 2023, the House Ethics Committee announced it had formed an Investigative Subcommittee to probe the allegations against Cherfilus-McCormick.
The Office of Congressional Conduct declared there was probable cause for misconduct.
However, the report containing the statement was not released until May 2025 by the House Ethics Committee.
Meanwhile, the Office of Congressional Ethics said in a January 2025 report that Cherfilus-McCormick’s income in 2021 was more than $6 million higher than the year prior. This increase in income wasdriven by nearly $5.75 million in consulting and profit-sharing from Trinity Healthcare Services.
By July, the House Ethics Committee voted unanimously to reauthorize the investigative subcommittee probing the allegations against the congresswoman.Â
The DOJ Unseals Indictment Against Cherfilus-McCormick
Following the news of the grand jury indictment Wednesday evening, Cherfilus-McCormick’s fellow lawmakers hit out at the congresswoman.
Her Democratic challenger next year, Elijah Manley, told the Sun Sentinel the indictment ‘is a sad moment for the people of Florida’s 20th Congressional District.
Florida Congressman Greg Steube shared on social media that he will be filing a motion to censure Cherfilus-McCormick. He said he will also file a motion to remove her from all of her committees.
Cherfilus-McCormick currently serves on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.Â
The Republican Party of Florida also stated that the allegations are ‘absolutely disgusting, They proclaimed that Cherfilus-McCormick must step down NOW!’Â
If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison and her brother faces up to 35 years.
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