Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida was indicted in federal courtroom Wednesday for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in federal emergency funds and routing a few of it to her marketing campaign account, the Justice Division stated in a assertion.
The Justice Division alleged that in 2021, a 12 months earlier than Cherfilus-McCormick was elected to Congress, a well being care firm that she ran was overpaid $5 million on a Federal Emergency Administration Company-funded contract associated to coronavirus vaccinations. The defendants within the case allegedly “conspired to steal” the cash by sending it by means of a number of accounts.
A few of that overpaid cash was then used to assist fund Cherfilus-McCormick’s marketing campaign to signify South Florida within the Home, the Justice Division alleged. Particularly, she was accused of funneling a number of the cash to family and friends members who donated it to her marketing campaign, in what’s generally known as a “straw donor” scheme.
“Utilizing catastrophe aid funds for self-enrichment is a very egocentric, cynical crime,” Lawyer Common Pam Bondi stated in an announcement. “Nobody is above the regulation, least of all highly effective individuals who rob taxpayers for private acquire. We’ll observe the details on this case and ship justice.”
The Justice Division’s assertion didn’t specify the costs in opposition to Cherfilus-McCormick or another defendants. An indictment for Cherfilus-McCormick was not posted on the federal courtroom database as of Wednesday night.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Cherfilus-McCormick’s authorized group stated in an announcement the congresswoman “is a dedicated public servant, who is devoted to her constituents. We’ll combat to clear her good title.”
Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries informed reporters late Wednesday that he would problem an announcement on the prison fees after talking with Cherfilus-McCormick, however added: “She’s harmless till confirmed responsible.”
The congresswoman’s firm, Trinity Healthcare Companies, was additionally sued by emergency officers in Florida earlier this 12 months over an alleged multimillion-dollar overpayment.
The Florida Division of Emergency Administration stated it contracted with Trinity to signal individuals up for COVID-19 vaccines. At one level, the corporate was by chance paid greater than $5 million reasonably than $50,000 on account of a “clerical error,” and the corporate “knowingly” processed the bill and refused to provide the cash again, the lawsuit says.
In response, Trinity stated in courtroom papers that the state waited three years to tell the corporate concerning the overpayments. The corporate stated it informed the Florida Division of Emergency Administration it was prepared to debate the dispute, however the company did not reply.
The state dropped the case final 12 months following mediation between the 2 events.
Cherfilus-McCormick has additionally confronted a Home Ethics Committee probe, after the Workplace of Congressional Ethics stated final 12 months she might have “requested neighborhood venture funding that may be directed to a for-profit entity.”
