A South Florida political figure is now facing serious federal charges after a grand jury indicted Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and several associates in a multi-million-dollar fraud case involving FEMA disaster funds.
Prosecutors allege that in 2021, Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother Edwin Cherfilus leveraged their family’s health-care company during a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing project. That July, the company allegedly received a $5 million overpayment. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to divert those funds, routing the money through various accounts to obscure its origins.
Investigators say a significant portion of the stolen funds ultimately supported Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and were also used for personal expenses. Additional charges claim the congresswoman and co-defendant Nadege Leblanc arranged campaign contributions through straw donors—individuals who were reimbursed with federal disaster funds disguised as legitimate income.
The indictment also includes tax-related accusations. Prosecutors say Cherfilus-McCormick and Davie tax preparer David K. Spencer conspired to submit a falsified federal tax return for 2021, allegedly inflating charitable contributions and misclassifying campaign and personal spending as business deductions.
Federal officials emphasized that misusing emergency relief funds violates public trust and harms taxpayers. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI Miami Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation, with federal prosecutors from the Southern District of Florida leading the case.
If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison. Other defendants face sentences ranging from 10 to 35 years depending on the charges.
The case continues to unfold, but the indictment signals a high-profile accountability effort surrounding the use and oversight of federal pandemic-related funding.
Harlan Kilstein has been a Boca Resident since 1997. He know the ins and out of Boca
