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3w ago

Miami Grand Jury Indicts Rep. Sheila Cherfilus‑McCormick Over Alleged $5 Million FEMA Funds Scheme

Prosecutors say a FEMA overpayment tied to a 2021 COVID‑19 contract was diverted through straw donors into her congressional campaign.

FILE - Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., condemns hate speech and misinformation about Haitian immigrants during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
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UNITED STATES - MARCH 27: Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last votes of the week on Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images)
FILE - Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., condemns hate speech and misinformation about Haitian immigrants, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Overview

  • The Justice Department announced charges alleging the Florida lawmaker and co‑defendants stole and laundered roughly $5 million from a FEMA‑funded vaccination staffing contract in 2021.
  • The indictment names her brother Edwin Cherfilus, staffer Nadege Leblanc, and tax preparer David K. Spencer, alleging a straw‑donor network funneled diverted funds into her 2021 campaign.
  • Counts include theft of federal funds, money laundering, and conspiracy to file a false federal tax return related to 2021 expenses, with FBI and IRS agents involved in the investigation.
  • If convicted, Cherfilus‑McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison, while her co‑defendants face maximums ranging from 10 to 35 years.
  • The criminal case follows a 2024 state lawsuit over nearly $5.8 million in overcharges and prior House ethics findings, as Republicans move to censure and remove her from committees and her attorneys deny wrongdoing.