Florida Dem lawmaker accused of stealing $5 MILLION in FEMA funds to face House Ethics hearing

A Democrat congresswoman from Florida is set to appear before the House Ethics Committee on Thursday over allegations that she stole millions in federal disaster funds and used that money to fund her 2021 congressional campaign. 

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida’s 20th Congressional District was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2025. She, along with her brother Edwin Cherfilus, is accused of receiving an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds through their family’s health-care company that received a FEMA-funded Covid vaccination staffing contract. 

Per the Department of Justice, "The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal that $5 million and routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source. Prosecutors allege that a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants." 

In a statement of alleged violations released by the Ethics Committee in December, the investigative subcommittee brought forth 27 counts against the Democrat lawmaker, alleging that Cherfilus-McCormick violated campaign finance laws and regulations, the Ethics in Government Act, the Code of Ethics for Government Service, and multiple House rules relating to finances. 

The document noted multiple failed campaign attempts from Cherfilus-McCormick in the years leading up to her victory in 2021. The document stated that in one case, the Florida Department of Emergency Management sent her family’s company $5,057,850.00 instead of $50,578.50, 100 times the invoiced amount.

In addition to allegedly using the funds for her campaign, Cherfilus-McCormick "also used those funds on luxury personal items, including jewelry from Tiffany’s, a Tesla, designer clothing, high-end hotels, and a cruise," the document stated. 

Trinity, her family’s company, contributed $198,828.00 directly to Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign, and millions more through indirect means such as the lawmaker personally, her consulting group, and other accounts. "This funding was almost entirely from Trinity’s FDEM funds, including the overpayments to which Trinity did not have a valid legal claim," the document stated. "In total, at least $3,600,000.00 of the funds paid to Trinity pursuant to the FDEM contract made its way into Respondent’s campaign for at least some period of time."

Punchbowl News stated that it was unlikely Cherfilus-McCormick will testify in her own defense at Thursday’s hearing, given the ongoing federal criminal case against her. The eight-member panel of the adjudicatory subcommittee hearing Thursday's case will issue a decision on the matter this week.