The controversy stems from a November 19 indictment involving a Miami federal grand jury, which charged Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, 51, with conspiring to steal $5 million in FEMA funds.
The 46-year-old representative posted a festive message Thursday morning: "From my family to yours, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a joyful, safe holiday season." The accompanying image showed Cherfilus-McCormick smiling with arms crossed against a backdrop of Old Glory and the Florida flag, overlaid with "MERRY CHRISTMAS" text. Social media users quickly noticed that something was off with the photo, compared to an earlier version that featured a large yellow diamond ring on her finger—the same one detailed in her recent federal indictment.
Screenshots circulated by critics showed a before-and-after comparison, with the ring digitally removed in the Christmas post. One user quipped, "LMAO. She magic erased the ring she spent $109k in stolen FEMA funds on."
The controversy stems from a November 19 indictment involving a Miami federal grand jury, which charged Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, 51, with conspiring to steal $5 million in FEMA funds, according to the Department of Justice. The funds were allegedly overpaid in 2021 to their family-owned healthcare company, Trinity Health Care Services, due to a deliberate decimal point error in an invoice for COVID-19 vaccine registration services provided to Florida's Division of Emergency Management.
Prosecutors claim the siblings laundered the money through multiple accounts to conceal its origins, with portions funneled into Cherfilus-McCormick's congressional campaign. The indictment alleged she purchased a 3.14-carat Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond ring for $109,000 from a New York City jeweler on September 1, 2021, via a cashier's check, per Miami New Times. The ring was worn in her official US House portrait.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show Cherfilus-McCormick, then Trinity's CEO, loaned her 2022 campaign $6.2 million in over 100 increments, helping her secure a victory in the Democratic primary and general election. She faces 15 charges, including theft, money laundering, and illegal campaign contributions. On November 25, Cherfilus-McCormick was released from custody on a $60,000 bond after pleading not guilty to all charges.
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