Florida Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick Embroiled in $5 Million FEMA Scandal
A federal indictment has charged Florida Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick with orchestrating a scheme to pocket a $5 million overpayment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to prosecutors, Cherfilus-McCormick's healthcare company, Trinity Healthcare Services, received an inflated payment in 2021 through a contract funded by FEMA to support vaccination efforts. The company was led by Cherfilus-McCormick at the time, and prosecutors allege that she improperly retained the excess payment and funneled portions of it into her special-election campaign.
The indictment also alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick falsified tax returns, misrepresenting campaign-related and personal expenses as deductible business costs. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the alleged conduct, stating that using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly egregious crime.
Cherfilus-McCormick has denied any wrongdoing, calling the indictment "unjust, baseless, and a sham." She claims to have fully cooperated with lawmakers' requests and will continue to do so until the matter is resolved.
This latest development adds to several ongoing inquiries involving Cherfilus-McCormick and Trinity Healthcare. State officials in Florida sued the company last year, claiming it overbilled the state by nearly $5.8 million for pandemic-response work. The Office of Congressional Ethics also reported that Cherfilus-McCormick's income surged in 2021, largely tied to payments from Trinity.
If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick could face up to 53 years in prison. The case serves as a stark reminder that no one is above the law, particularly those in positions of power who exploit taxpayer funds for personal gain.
A federal indictment has charged Florida Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick with orchestrating a scheme to pocket a $5 million overpayment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to prosecutors, Cherfilus-McCormick's healthcare company, Trinity Healthcare Services, received an inflated payment in 2021 through a contract funded by FEMA to support vaccination efforts. The company was led by Cherfilus-McCormick at the time, and prosecutors allege that she improperly retained the excess payment and funneled portions of it into her special-election campaign.
The indictment also alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick falsified tax returns, misrepresenting campaign-related and personal expenses as deductible business costs. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the alleged conduct, stating that using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly egregious crime.
Cherfilus-McCormick has denied any wrongdoing, calling the indictment "unjust, baseless, and a sham." She claims to have fully cooperated with lawmakers' requests and will continue to do so until the matter is resolved.
This latest development adds to several ongoing inquiries involving Cherfilus-McCormick and Trinity Healthcare. State officials in Florida sued the company last year, claiming it overbilled the state by nearly $5.8 million for pandemic-response work. The Office of Congressional Ethics also reported that Cherfilus-McCormick's income surged in 2021, largely tied to payments from Trinity.
If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick could face up to 53 years in prison. The case serves as a stark reminder that no one is above the law, particularly those in positions of power who exploit taxpayer funds for personal gain.
Can't believe this! $5 million just because she messed up some paperwork 
and claimed it was for her campaign 
? That's just disgusting 
. I mean, I know everyone makes mistakes, but to do that on the taxpayer's dime is just wrong 
. And to think she's denying any wrongdoing 
... come on, if you've done nothing wrong, why not just own up to it and move on? 
The fact that she's going to try to spin this as "unjust" and a "sham" is just ridiculous 
. She needs to be held accountable for her actions 
. 53 years in prison isn't enough, in my opinion 
.
this whole thing just goes to show you how quickly greed can corrupt even the most well-intentioned people... think about it - someone who's supposed to be fighting for their community ends up lining their own pockets with millions 
. that's not leadership, that's just plain selfishness 
And she's denying any wrongdoing? Didn't think so... Cherfilus-McCormick is already a public figure, why would she risk her career like this? 
But at the same time, can we really trust that she was just being stupid and not actually doing something shady? 
I guess only time (and a jury) will tell. This case definitely has some serious " House of Cards" vibes to it...
and 53 years in prison if convicted? that's insane. it's like, you can't even trust politicians anymore 
state officials are already suing her company for overbilling, so I guess this just gets worse from here 
. I mean, 53 years in prison sounds like a harsh punishment, but hey, if the system is supposed to catch people who abuse their power, then someone's gotta do it 
.
). It's like, hello, there are laws in place for a reason! And yeah, using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is basically the worst thing ever. Can't we just have politicians who actually care about doing good work instead of just doing good work to look good? 
by this news, mate. $5 million overpayment from FEMA? That's just plain crazy talk! 
. If she ends up getting convicted, it'll be nice to see some justice served 
.
. It's so important to hold people in power accountable for their actions and make sure they're not using taxpayer funds for personal gain. We need more transparency and accountability like this 
.
i feel bad for the taxpayers who got ripped off too. u gotta love how aggressive Pam Bondi is, she's not messing around 
. It's so not cool 
. Five million bucks is a lot of money 
than make amends for their mistakes