MIAMI – A federal grand jury in Miami has indicted Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and several co-defendants on charges including theft of federal disaster funds and money laundering, U.S Department of Justice said in a release.
According to the indictment, Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother Edwin Cherfilus, 51, misused a $5 million overpayment from a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021. The funds were allegedly laundered through multiple accounts to support Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for personal gain.
The indictment also accuses Cherfilus-McCormick and Nadege Leblanc, 46, of arranging campaign contributions through straw donors, using funds from the FEMA contract.
Additionally, Cherfilus-McCormick and her tax preparer, David K. Spencer, 41, face charges of conspiring to file a false tax return. They allegedly misrepresented political spending and personal expenses as business deductions.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the severity of the allegations, stating, “Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime.”
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones highlighted the importance of protecting taxpayer money, remarking, “Public money belongs to the American people. When FEMA funds are diverted for personal or political gain, it erodes trust and harms us all.”
If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick could face up to 53 years in prison, while her co-defendants face varying sentences.
