Indictment Details
The Justice Department has announced an indictment against Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat from Florida, for allegedly defrauding the government of $5 million in pandemic relief funds. The indictment claims she misappropriated these funds to support her previous congressional campaign.
According to prosecutors, Cherfilus-McCormick’s family business received an overpayment of $5 million for a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract. She and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, are accused of conspiring to conceal the origin of these funds.
The indictment alleges that a significant portion of the misappropriated money was funneled into her 2021 congressional campaign as she sought to fill the seat left vacant by the late Representative Alcee Hastings. Prosecutors assert that she redirected some of the contract funds to friends and family members who then contributed back to her campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick is also charged with filing a false federal tax return by claiming political expenditures as business deductions while inflating her charitable contributions.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi condemned the actions, stating, “Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime. No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain.” The congresswoman’s office has been approached for comment regarding these allegations.
In her 2021 campaign, Cherfilus-McCormick won the Democratic primary by a narrow margin of just five votes and later secured victory in the general election held in January 2022.
The congresswoman has been under scrutiny from congressional ethics investigators concerning whether she exploited her position to divert earmarked funds to a private entity or accepted donations linked to official actions.
The Office of Congressional Ethics reported that Cherfilus-McCormick’s income skyrocketed from $86,000 in 2020 to nearly $6 million in 2021 due to payments from Trinity Health Care Services, her family firm. She also reported lending millions to her campaign during this period.
A Florida government agency filed a lawsuit against Trinity Health Care Services over excessive payments made due to clerical errors. The state intended to pay approximately $50,578 but mistakenly sent over $5 million instead. The lawsuit revealed additional overpayments exceeding $700,000 across multiple invoices.
The grand jury in Miami issued the indictment naming not only Cherfilus-McCormick but also her brother Nadege Leblanc and David K. Spencer, who served as her tax preparer for 2021.
