A Miami grand jury indicted Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick on Wednesday, accusing her of stealing millions in disaster relief money and funneling it into her own campaign. Prosecutors say she and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, helped orchestrate a scheme to swipe $5 million in FEMA funds. The indictment alleges they disguised the money through multiple accounts before using large chunks of it to boost her 2021 congressional run.
The DOJ says the stolen money didn’t just vanish—it allegedly flowed into campaign contributions and straight into personal pockets. If convicted, the Florida Democrat faces up to 53 years in prison. Attorney General Pam Bondi didn’t hold back, calling it “a particularly selfish, cynical crime.”
Both siblings allegedly used their family healthcare company to access the FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021. Prosecutors say the company received an overpayment of $5 million from FEMA that summer. Instead of returning it, investigators claim the defendants began moving the money around.
FBI Director Kash Patel blasted the congresswoman online just moments after the indictment became public. He said Cherfilus-McCormick and her family “allegedly stole money from FEMA and then laundered it through friends toward her own personal benefits – including her campaign accounts.” The indictment further accuses her and Nadege Leblanc of using straw donors to secretly route FEMA money into political contributions.
Republicans reacted immediately. Rep. Greg Steube said he will file a motion to censure Cherfilus-McCormick and remove her from all committees. “This is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen,” he wrote.
The Republican Party of Florida also demanded her resignation within minutes of the announcement. “This is absolutely disgusting. She must step down NOW!” the state GOP posted on X. Her office has not issued a comment.
Cherfilus-McCormick was already under scrutiny. In 2023, the House Ethics Committee opened a probe into alleged campaign finance violations tied to her 2022 election. Despite the controversy, she won a third term in 2024 and currently sits on the House Veterans’ Affairs and Foreign Affairs committees.