A Miami grand jury has handed down an indictment against Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) on charges that she allegedly orchestrated a scheme to steal millions of dollars in disaster relief funding, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
The Florida Democrat stands accused of conspiring to divert $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds intended for disaster relief.
Prosecutors say she worked alongside her brother Edwin Cherfilus and several other co-defendants to carry out the alleged scheme.
Federal prosecutors claim the defendants moved the stolen funds through multiple accounts in an effort to conceal where the money originated.
A substantial portion of the misappropriated funds allegedly went toward illegal campaign contributions for Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional race, while other amounts were used for personal expenses, according to the indictment.
If found guilty on all charges, the congresswoman could face up to 53 years behind bars.
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a statement condemning the alleged actions.
“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Bondi said.
“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.”
The indictment details how both Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother allegedly exploited their family healthcare company’s position.
The company had secured a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021, which became the vehicle for the alleged fraud.
Prosecutors say the family company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds in July 2021.
Rather than returning the excess funds, the defendants allegedly kept the money and used it for prohibited purposes.
FBI Director Kash Patel wasted no time addressing the charges publicly.
He posted on social media platform X that Cherfilus-McCormick and her family “allegedly stole money from FEMA and then laundered it through friends toward her own personal benefits – including her campaign accounts.”
The indictment further alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick worked with an individual named Nadege Leblanc to orchestrate a straw donor scheme.
Prosecutors claim they funneled money from the FEMA-funded COVID-19 contract to their associates, who then used those funds to make campaign donations on behalf of the congresswoman.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) announced his intention to take action against his colleague.
He shared on X that he plans to file a motion to censure Cherfilus-McCormick and strip her of all committee assignments.
“This is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen,” Steube stated.
His proposed censure motion represents one of the harshest disciplinary measures the House can take against one of its members.
This is not the first time Cherfilus-McCormick has faced scrutiny over campaign finance issues.
Fox News reported that the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into her conduct in 2023, examining allegations of campaign finance violations connected to her 2022 elections.
Despite the earlier ethics probe, Cherfilus-McCormick secured re-election to a third term in Congress during the 2024 elections.
The Howard University graduate currently holds positions on two House committees: the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
