Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democratic member of Congress representing Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of siphoning more than $5 million in federal disaster funds from her company to finance her 2021 congressional campaign.
According to the indictment, Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, stole $5 million in overpayments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that their family healthcare business had received. They allegedly moved the money through multiple accounts to disguise its source, with most of it directed toward her campaign and personal expenses.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi condemned the alleged scheme, 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. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.'
The indictment further alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick and a staffer, Nadege Leblanc, arranged additional campaign contributions through straw donors, using the ill-gotten FEMA funds under the names of friends and relatives. Separate charges have been filed against Cherfilus-McCormick and her tax preparer, David K Spencer, for conspiring to file a false federal tax return. If convicted, she faces up to 53 years in prison.
