Topline
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., was charged with allegedly stealing and laundering $5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Justice Department announced Wednesday, alleging the scheme was carried out through her family health care company.
The indictment against Cherfilus-McCormick was issued Wednesday. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Key Facts
The Justice Department accused Cherfilus-McCormick of stealing disaster funds, laundering them and using them to support her congressional campaign.
Prosecutors have further alleged some of the misappropriated funds were used for the “personal benefit” of Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother Edwin Cherfilus, who is also a defendant in the case.
The $5 million at the heart of the case was an overpayment in FEMA funds given to Cherfilus-McCormick’s family health care company, which had a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021, according to the DOJ.
Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison if convicted.
The indictment also charges the congresswoman’s 2021 tax preparer, David K. Spencer, with conspiring to file a false federal tax return.
Forbes has reached out to Cherfilus-McCormick’s office for comment.
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Tangent
FEMA has gone through multiple leadership shakeups this year, as David Richardson, the agency’s acting head, resigned from his role this week following criticisms about his reportedly lackluster response to the Central Texas floods in July. He will be replaced by FEMA Chief of Staff Karen Evans on Dec. 1, marking the third acting head the agency has had this year.