Rep Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick indicted for stealing $5m from Covid funds

Rep Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was formally indicted on Wednesday on federal charges that she misappropriated $5 million in disaster relief funds and funneled the money into her congressional campaign. The US Department of Justice announced the charges, which carry a potential prison sentence of up to 53 years.

The indictment alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, 51, engaged in a scheme to divert funds meant for COVID-19 vaccination efforts in 2021. The funds were provided through a contract linked to their family-owned health care business and administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). According to prosecutors, the company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds, which the Cherfiluses are accused of stealing and laundering to disguise its origin.

The congresswoman is accused of using the stolen money to personally enrich herself and to finance a large portion of her 2022 congressional campaign. Cherfilus-McCormick, who won a special election in January 2022 to replace the late Rep. Alcee Hastings, later secured a second term unopposed in 2024.

The indictment also names Nadege Leblanc, 46, as a co-conspirator. She and the Cherfiluses allegedly used “straw donors” to make illegal campaign contributions by routing FEMA relief funds through friends and family members, who then made donations to Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign in their own names. Additionally, Cherfilus-McCormick and a tax preparer are charged with filing false federal tax returns for 2021, further compounding the charges against her.

In response to the indictment, Cherfilus-McCormick’s legal team issued a statement asserting that she is a “dedicated public servant” and vowing to fight the charges in court. “We will clear her good name,” the statement said.

The Justice Department’s investigation follows earlier scrutiny by the House Ethics Committee, which had received a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCC) in May 2024. The OCC found significant reason to believe that Cherfilus-McCormick may have sought community project funding directed to a for-profit entity, a matter the bipartisan Ethics Committee continues to investigate.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned Cherfilus-McCormick’s actions, calling the alleged misuse of federal disaster funds “particularly selfish and cynical.” Bondi said that “no one is above the law,” and vowed that the Department of Justice would ensure accountability.

A grand jury in Miami handed down the indictment, marking a significant legal setback for Cherfilus-McCormick, who has been under intense scrutiny since the investigation began.

Cherfilus-McCormick is not the only lawmaker facing charges this year. In June, Rep LaMonica McIver was indicted for allegedly interfering with federal law enforcement officers during an incident related to the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

The legal proceedings for Cherfilus-McCormick’s case are set to move forward in the coming months.