South Florida Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is speaking out after she was charged with stealing $5 million worth of federal disaster funds, laundering the proceeds and then using the money for her 2021 congressional campaign.
The U.S. Justice Department announced the indictment on Wednesday of the 46-year-old Democrat and several co-defendants.
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Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother Edwin Cherfilus are accused of working through their family’s health care company on a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract, and in July 2021, the company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The 42-page indictment said the $5 million overpayment was a result of a clerical error by the Florida Division of Emergency management.
The indictment alleged that those funds were routed through multiple accounts to disguise their source, and that a “substantial portion” was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick Speaks
In a statement Thursday, Cherfilus-McCormick called the charges baseless.
“This is an unjust, baseless, sham indictment — and I am innocent. The timing alone is curious and clearly meant to distract from far more pressing national issues. From day one, I have cooperated with every lawful request, and I will continue to do so until this matter is resolved,” her statement read. “I am deeply grateful for the support of my district, and I remain confident that the truth will prevail. I look forward to my day in court. Until then, I will continue fighting for my constituents.”
Her attorneys released a statement Wednesday night also defending her.
“Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick is a committed public servant, who is dedicated to her constituents. We will fight to clear her good name,” the attorneys’ statement read.
Other Co-Defendants Charged
The indictment alleges Cherfilus-McCormick and her chief of staff, 46-year-old Nadege Leblanc, arranged additional contributions using straw donors, funneling other monies from the FEMA-funded Covid-19 contract to friends and relatives who then donated to the campaign as if using their own money.
Cherfilus-McCormick’s tax preparer, David K. Spencer, is also accused of conspiring to file a false federal tax return. Prosecutors accused them of falsely claiming political spending and other personal expenses as business deductions, and of inflating charitable contributions to reduce Cherfilus-McCormick’s tax obligations.
In 2021, a tax return falsely claimed Cherfilus-McCormick made $1.2 million in charitable contributions, the indictment said.
If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison. Edwin Cherfilus faces up to 35 years, Leblanc up to 10 years, and Spencer up to 33 years.
Fallout From the Charges
Late Wednesday, Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida said he intends to file a motion to censure Cherfilus-McCormick.
“This is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen. Stealing $5 million in taxpayer disaster funds from FEMA of all places is beyond indefensible. Millions of Floridians have relied on FEMA after devastating hurricanes, and that money was supposed to help real disaster victims,” Steube posted on X. “And once House Ethics concludes their investigation or she is formally convicted, rest assured I will move to expel her from Congress.”
Tomorrow morning I will be filing a privileged motion to censure Rep. Cherfilus McCormick and remove her from all committees.
This is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen. Stealing $5 million in taxpayer disaster funds from FEMA of all places is… https://t.co/xsqm0oqOWw
— Congressman Greg Steube (@RepGregSteube) November 20, 2025
On Thursday, Christie Stephenson, a spokesperson for House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, said in a statement that Cherfilus-McCormick will take leave from her role as ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa.
Stephenson said Cherfilus-McCormick “is entitled to her day in court and the presumption of innocence,” but that House rules require her to step aside from the committee “while this matter is ongoing.”
Cherfilus-McCormick’s Rise to Power
Cherfilus-McCormick, of Miramar, had been the CEO of Trinity Healthcare Services before entering politics.
She was elected to Congress in 2022 in the 20th District representing parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties in a special election after Rep. Alcee Hastings died in 2021. Cherfilus-McCormick won the primary in the heavily Democratic district by five votes. She was reelected without opposition in November 2024.
Cherfilus-McCormick ran against Hastings two other times, in 2018 and 2020, losing Democratic primaries to him both times.
Previous Legal Issues
In 2022, Cherfilus-McCormick filed a defamation lawsuit against her campaign opponent, Dale Holness, who accused her of embezzlement to win the seat.
The lawsuit said a text message incorrectly claims the congresswoman embezzled millions of dollars, and that the Holness campaign falsely stated that Cherfilus-McCormick was engaged in fraudulent behavior and corruption using taxpayer funds.
Holness told NBC6 Wednesday night he raised this is why he raised these questions years ago.
“We did our research back then,” Holness said. “She made $86,000 the year before. The company she got the money from was in debt to the IRS to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. We just couldn’t figure out how you go from that to putting $4 million in a campaign. Where did the money come from?”
In December 2024, a Florida state agency sued a company owned by Cherfilus-McCormick’s family, saying it overcharged the state by nearly $5.8 million for work done during the pandemic and wouldn’t give the money back.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management said it made a series of overpayments to Trinity Healthcare Services after hiring it in 2021 to register people for COVID-19 vaccinations. The agency says it discovered the problem after a single $5 million overpayment drew attention.
Cherfilus-McCormick was the CEO of Trinity at the time.
The Office of Congressional Ethics said in a January report that Cherfilus-McCormick’s income in 2021 was more than $6 million higher than in 2020, driven by nearly $5.75 million in consulting and profit-sharing fees received from Trinity Healthcare Services.
In July, the House Ethics Committee unanimously voted to reauthorize an investigative subcommittee to examine allegations involving Cherfilus-McCormick.
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