Florida Rep. Charged with Embezzling $5 Million from FEMA
A federal indictment has unsealed charges against Florida Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, accusing her of orchestrating a scheme to siphon off nearly $5 million in overpayment made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The payment was intended for Trinity Healthcare Services, a health care company led by Cherfilus-McCormick at the time.
Prosecutors claim that the company improperly retained the inflated payment and transferred it through a series of transactions that ultimately benefited Cherfilus-McCormick's special-election campaign. This alleged scheme also included false tax filings, with Cherfilus-McCormick supposedly misrepresenting personal expenses as deductible business costs.
The indictment has drawn condemnation from Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who described the alleged conduct as "selfish and cynical." The charges carry a potential 53-year prison sentence for Cherfilus-McCormick if she is convicted.
Cherfilus-McCormick denies any wrongdoing and claims that the timing of the indictment is an attempt to distract from more pressing national issues. She has cooperated with all lawful requests, according to her statement.
This case adds to several ongoing inquiries involving Cherfilus-McCormick and Trinity Healthcare. State officials in Florida sued the company last year, alleging overbills totaling nearly $5.8 million for pandemic-response work. Additionally, a report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found that Cherfilus-McCormick's income spiked sharply in 2021 due to payments from Trinity, raising questions about potential campaign finance improprieties.
Cherfilus-McCormick's situation has sparked renewed scrutiny of her finances and campaign activities.
A federal indictment has unsealed charges against Florida Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, accusing her of orchestrating a scheme to siphon off nearly $5 million in overpayment made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The payment was intended for Trinity Healthcare Services, a health care company led by Cherfilus-McCormick at the time.
Prosecutors claim that the company improperly retained the inflated payment and transferred it through a series of transactions that ultimately benefited Cherfilus-McCormick's special-election campaign. This alleged scheme also included false tax filings, with Cherfilus-McCormick supposedly misrepresenting personal expenses as deductible business costs.
The indictment has drawn condemnation from Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who described the alleged conduct as "selfish and cynical." The charges carry a potential 53-year prison sentence for Cherfilus-McCormick if she is convicted.
Cherfilus-McCormick denies any wrongdoing and claims that the timing of the indictment is an attempt to distract from more pressing national issues. She has cooperated with all lawful requests, according to her statement.
This case adds to several ongoing inquiries involving Cherfilus-McCormick and Trinity Healthcare. State officials in Florida sued the company last year, alleging overbills totaling nearly $5.8 million for pandemic-response work. Additionally, a report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found that Cherfilus-McCormick's income spiked sharply in 2021 due to payments from Trinity, raising questions about potential campaign finance improprieties.
Cherfilus-McCormick's situation has sparked renewed scrutiny of her finances and campaign activities.