Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, a U.S. Representative from Florida (D), was charged with theft of $5 million meant to fund COVID-19 vaccine efforts. She allegedly diverted some of these funds into her campaign for Congress. She responded on Thursday to the charges by saying that the only reason she’s being investigated is because of her race.
A grand jury in Miami indicted the congresswoman on numerous felony charges, including conspiracy, laundering of money, illegal contributions to campaigns, and filing of a false federal income tax return.
In 2021, Cherfilus McCormick and her siblings Edwin Cherfilus, Nadege Lablanc, David K. Spencer used Trinity Healthcare Staffing Services to obtain a FEMA no-bid contract for COVID-19 vaccine staffing in South Florida. The prosecution claims that they deliberately overcharged FEMA for COVID-19 vaccination staffing in South Florida by $5 million. They then laundered these funds using shell accounts and fake donors to conceal their source.
The funds were used to fund her special congressional election campaign in 2021, for personal expenses, and to falsify business deductions to avoid taxes.
Cherfilus McCormick maintains her innocence and calls the charges a “sham”. She says they were pursued only because she’s black.
It’s not fair, but it appears that intimidation has been widespread. All week, we watched as different members were censured in an attempt to intimidate and distract from the Epstein cases. “I look forward to going to court to prove my innocence and tell the truth,” said Plaskett, in reference to GOP efforts to censure Plaskett for her collaboration with notorious sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
We’ll have to fight for our district if that’s what Congress becomes, with its scare tactics and constant attempts to intimidate people. I’ve had so much help from everyone, and will continue to fight until we get what the district needs: fair housing prices and representation in Congress.
She then suggested that she would remain in her position, saying that the people who called for her resignation did not vote her.
Just in: Dem Rep. Sheila Cherfilus McCormick who has just been indicted on charges of stealing FEMA funds worth $5M, claims that she was targeted for her race.
Reporter: What do you think about the indictment of this man?
Cherfilus-McCormick: “This is an unjust indictment … I look forward to my… pic.twitter.com/oCrHKFMPqU
Collin Rugg 20 November 2025 HTML0
Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader (NY), announced on Thursday that despite maintaining her innocence the congresswoman would be stepping aside from her position as the leader of a House subcommittee for Foreign Affairs “while this matter continues”.
Sheila Cherfilus McCormick proudly represents the citizens of Palm Beach County and Broward County since 2022. In accordance with the United States Constitution she has a right to appear in court as well as the presumption that she is innocent,” Jeffries spokesperson Christie Stephenson stated.
Congressional investigations into Cherfilus-McCormick’s conduct began with a House Ethics Committee inquiry launched on December 27, 2023, prompted by the Office of Congressional Ethics referral over potential campaign finance violations tied to unreported contributions and improper use of funds during her 2021 campaign.
In June 2024, the investigation was expanded to cover additional allegations of misuse of campaign funds by individuals. The FBI Miami Field Office, along with IRS Criminal Investigation have been conducting a federal criminal probe into FEMA fraud for many years since Florida’s Emergency Management Department raised concern.
If convicted of all charges, she could spend several decades behind bars.
