Dem congresswoman indicted for ‘particularly selfish’ alleged theft of FEMA relief funds for campaign use
In a significant legal development, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat from Florida, has been indicted by a Miami grand jury on charges of allegedly misappropriating millions in disaster relief funds for illegal campaign contributions. The indictment, announced by the Department of Justice, accuses Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, along with several co-defendants, of conspiring to steal $5 million from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds. Prosecutors allege that the defendants engaged in a complex scheme to route the stolen funds through various accounts to obscure their origins, ultimately using a substantial portion for Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and personal expenses. If convicted, she could face up to 53 years in prison, underscoring the seriousness of the charges.
The indictment outlines a troubling narrative where Cherfilus-McCormick and her associates allegedly exploited their family healthcare company, which secured a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021. According to prosecutors, the company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds, leading to accusations that Cherfilus-McCormick and her accomplices used straw donors to mask contributions and funneled money from the FEMA contract into campaign donations. This has sparked outrage among her political opponents, with Rep. Greg Steube, a Republican from Florida, announcing plans to censure her and demanding her removal from all congressional committees. The Republican Party of Florida has also called for her resignation, labeling the alleged actions as a “disgusting” breach of public trust.
Cherfilus-McCormick, who was re-elected to a third term in Congress in 2024 and serves on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, has not yet publicly commented on the indictment. The allegations come on the heels of a 2023 investigation by the House Ethics Committee into potential campaign finance violations related to her 2022 elections. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the misuse of disaster relief funds, stating, “Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” and emphasized that no one, regardless of their power, is above the law. As this case unfolds, it raises critical questions about accountability and ethical conduct among elected officials.
A Miami grand jury indicted Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., on charges of allegedly stealing millions of dollars in disaster relief funds to make illegal campaign contributions, the Department of Justice said Wednesday.
According to the indictment, the Florida Democrat allegedly conspired to steal $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds alongside her brother Edwin Cherfilus and numerous co-defendants.
Prosecutors alleged that the defendants routed the funds through multiple accounts to disguise their source and that a significant portion of the misappropriated funds were used as
candidate contributions
to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign or for their personal benefit.
The Democrat could face up to 53 years in prison if convicted.
UNEARTHED RECORDS TORPEDO CORI BUSH’S NEW CLAIM ABOUT ‘BILLIONS’ IN FUNDING SHE DELIVERED TO DISTRICT
“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Attorney General
Pam Bondi
said in a statement. “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.”
Both Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother worked through their family healthcare company on a
FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract
in 2021, according to the indictment. The company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds in July 2021, prosecutors alleged.
FBI Director
Kash Patel
immediately posted on 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.”
DHS JUGGLES ‘MASS DEPORTATION’ PUSH WITH HELENE RELIEF, ADDS $124M AFTER BIDEN BACKLASH
The indictment also states that Cherfilus-McCormick and Nadege Leblanc allegedly fixed contributions using straw donors and channeled funds from a FEMA-funded COVID-19 contract to their associates, who used it to make campaign donations.
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., shared on X that he will be filing a motion to censure Cherfilus-McCormick and remove her from all committees.
“This is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen,” he asserted.
The Republican Party of Florida, in an X post, immediately called on Cherfilus-McCormick to resign, writing, “This is absolutely disgusting. She must step down NOW!”
Cherfilus-McCormick’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The Howard University graduate was initially hit by a probe in 2023 by the House Ethics Committee, who investigated allegations of campaign finance violations tied to her
2022 elections
.
Cherfilus-McCormi was re-elected to a third term in Congress in 2024. She currently serves on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
