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Federal prosecutors have unveiled sweeping charges against U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus McCormick, alleging that the Florida Democrat participated in a scheme to divert five million dollars in federal Covid 19 disaster relief funds. According to the indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Miami, a large portion of those funds was secretly funneled into her 2021 congressional campaign in violation of federal election law.

The Department of Justice detailed that Cherfilus McCormick worked with her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, to conceal the origin of the money by moving it across a network of personal and business accounts. Prosecutors said the siblings received the funds in mid 2021 after the family-run healthcare company where they were both employed received a five million dollar overpayment from FEMA. The payment was tied to a Covid vaccination staffing contract, an initiative that federal agencies rushed to implement during the height of the pandemic to address national public health needs.

Investigators say what followed was a coordinated effort to disguise the misdirected funds. The indictment describes transfers across accounts controlled by relatives and associates, forming what prosecutors call a “straw donor” operation. Under the alleged plan, money from the FEMA contract was sent to friends and family members, who then donated those same funds to the congresswoman’s campaign. These contributions gave the appearance of broad grassroots support while concealing the true financial source.

Cherfilus McCormick, who won her seat in early 2022 after succeeding the late Representative Alcee Hastings, is also charged alongside her 2021 tax preparer, David Spencer. Federal investigators accuse them of filing a fraudulent tax return by claiming personal spending, campaign costs and overstated charitable giving as business deductions. These actions, according to the indictment, were intended to minimize her tax liabilities while hiding financial inconsistencies.

The Department of Justice stated that the congresswoman faces a potential maximum prison sentence of fifty three years if found guilty on all charges, though actual sentencing typically falls below statutory maximums. Her brother could face up to thirty five years, while Spencer could receive as many as thirty three years. Another defendant, Nadege Leblanc, who is linked to the alleged straw donor network, faces a maximum of ten years.

Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized the conduct described by prosecutors, calling the misuse of emergency disaster aid an egregious violation of public trust. She emphasized that taxpayer funds provided during a national crisis must be protected against exploitation for personal or political gain.

Cherfilus McCormick’s legal team, consisting of attorneys David Oscar Markus, Margot Moss and Melissa Madrigal, issued a statement asserting her innocence and affirming that she remains dedicated to the people she represents. They stated that they intend to vigorously challenge the charges and restore her reputation.

The congresswoman has also been under review by the House Ethics Committee. Earlier this year, the Office of Congressional Conduct referred concerns suggesting that she may have attempted to direct community project funds toward a for-profit enterprise, adding another layer of scrutiny to her legislative conduct.

As the case moves forward, it places renewed attention on the oversight of federal pandemic relief programs, many of which were deployed rapidly under emergency conditions. The unfolding legal proceedings are expected to reveal further details about the internal controls, or lack thereof, within federal and private entities responsible for handling large-scale Covid era funding.