House Democrat Accused of Stealing $5M in Disaster Funds

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat from Florida, is facing more than 50 years in prison following a Florida grand jury indictment alleging the representative stole $5 million in federal emergency grants to use on her 2021 campaign.

The federal indictment issued Wednesday alleges Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother Edwin Cherfilus received a $5 million overpayment in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds through their family health care company in 2021.

Instead of returning the overpayment, the indictment alleges the sibling pair routed the funds through multiple networks in order to disguise it before contributing “a substantial portion” to the Florida congresswoman’s congressional campaign.

Cherfilus-McCormick ran for the House in 2018 and 2020 against the late Rep. Alcee Hastings, losing both times by nearly 40 percentage points. When Hastings died in 2021, Cherfilus-McCormick won the special election in 2022 to replace him, and was reelected later that year.

“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a release. “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 House Ethics Committee in February investigated Cherfilus-McCormick’s improper use of campaign funds, determining “there is substantial reason to believe” Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign committee “accepted and failed to report contributions exceeding contribution limits” and “failed to report transactions between the campaign committee” and the lawmaker’s businesses.

Cherfilus-McCormick is currently facing a primary challenge from Elijah Manley, who raised about $114,000 in the third quarter, compared to Cherfilus-McCormick’s $67,000.

“I am disappointed in the Congresswoman for abusing the power she was given and instead used to enrich herself and her family,” Manley said in a statement to NOTUS. “The people of FL-20 are ready to move past this era of fraud, corruption, and distractions.”

Cherfilus-McCormick has previously refused to comment on the allegations, and her campaign did not respond to NOTUS’ request for comment.

“As we’ve said before, the fact that the Committee is reviewing these allegations does not indicate there has been any finding that a violation has occurred. Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick continues to take this matter very seriously and intends to continue to cooperate with the House Ethics Committee and its investigative subcommittee to address the allegations that have been raised,” a spokesperson for the lawmaker told the Sun Sentinel in September.

If indicted, the lawmaker faces up to 53 years in prison, while her brother faces up to 35 years.