Florida Congresswoman Accused of COVID-19 Fund Misappropriation

Tue Dec 30 2025 11:07:42 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick faces federal charges, denying accusations of stealing $5 million intended for COVID-19 disaster relief.

U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick maintains her innocence amid allegations of conspiring to misappropriate $5 million in federal COVID-19 disaster funds. Charged with 15 counts including theft and money laundering, her legal team believes the case is politically motivated. The congresswoman argues that the situation escalated from a clerical error involving her family's healthcare business and insists on her commitment to serving her constituents.

MIAMI — Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Congresswoman from Florida, reiterated her innocence outside a Miami federal courthouse where she faces charges of allegedly conspiring to misappropriate $5 million in federal COVID-19 disaster funds.

Her attorney requested the arraignment be postponed until January 20 to finalize her legal representation, a motion that was approved by Judge Lisette Reid. The brief hearing lasted less than five minutes.

I just want to make it very clear that I am innocent. In no way did I steal any kind of funds. I’m committed to the people of Florida and my district,” Cherfilus-McCormick said after the court session.

A member of the Democratic Party, Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty and is confronted with 15 federal counts. These accusations arise from claims that her family-owned healthcare company, Trinity Healthcare Services, received overpayments intended for COVID-19 vaccination registration.

Cherfilus-McCormick’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, argues that the alleged mismanagement seems exaggerated and centers on inaccuracies that would typically not be classified as felonies, suggesting that the case may be politically driven.

In November, she was arrested and subsequently released on a $60,000 bond. The judge imposed travel restrictions, allowing her to move only within Florida, Washington D.C., Maryland, and the Eastern District of Virginia, while requiring the surrender of her personal passport. Nevertheless, she retained her congressional passport for official duties.

The indictment alleges that shortly after receiving the funds in 2021, over $100,000 was spent on a 3-carat diamond ring for the congresswoman. Despite having only requested $50,000, Cherfilus-McCormick’s company mistakenly received $5 million and failed to return the excess. Prosecutors claim that funds from Trinity Healthcare were diverted to various accounts, including to friends and relatives who then contributed to her campaign for Congress.

Upon winning a special election in January 2022 to represent Florida’s 20th District, which encompasses parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, Cherfilus-McCormick asserts she will not resign and remains committed to cooperating fully with allegations against her until the matter resolves.