Democrat edits ring allegedly bought with FEMA funds out of photo
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), who is federally indicted for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA disaster-relief funds and laundering the proceeds, posted a doctored Christmas photo that appears to remove a yellow diamond ring previously visible in her official House portrait. Charging documents say her family’s healthcare company received an accidental $5 million overpayment from FEMA during the pandemic, than funneled the money through multiple accounts and used a portion to fund her 2021 campaign. The indictment alleges she cashed a roughly $109,000 cashier’s check on Sept. 1, 2021, to buy an estimated 3.14-carat “Fancy Vivid yellow Diamond” ring from a New York jewelry design house; the ring and band in her portrait resemble high-end Tiffany pieces.Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother Edwin face multiple counts including money laundering, theft of government funds, and conspiring to make straw donor contributions; if convicted, she could face up to 53 years in prison. she denies the charges as politically motivated and says she’s innocent, and she has also been the subject of a House Ethics Committee inquiry. Cherfilus-McCormick was reelected unopposed in november 2024 and is expected to face a Democratic challenger in 2026.
Indicted Democrat edits $109,000 ring allegedly bought with stolen FEMA funds from photo
Federally indicted Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), who is accused of spending stolen disaster relief funds on a $109,000 diamond ring, has edited out what appears to be the jewelry in question from her congressional headshot.
Cherfilus-McCormick posted a photoshopped picture of herself on Christmas Day. Noticeably missing from the photo, an un-doctored version of which serves as Cherfilus-McCormick’s House portrait, is a yellow diamond ring with an accompanying band previously seen on her left hand.
In November, Cherfilus-McCormick was charged with stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, laundering the proceeds, and then making illegal campaign contributions to herself with those gains.
Cherfilus-McCormick’s family-run healthcare company allegedly received an accidental $5 million overpayment from FEMA during the pandemic and proceeded to reroute the money through multiple accounts to disguise its source before funneling “a substantial portion” of the misappropriated funds to her 2021 congressional campaign.
According to the 15-count indictment, Cherfilus-McCormick allegedly cashed a cashier’s check worth approximately $109,000 to buy a ring with the laundered money on or about Sept. 1, 2021.
Elsewhere, the charging documents allege that Cherfilus-McCormick purchased an estimated 3.14-carat “Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond” ring using the stolen FEMA funds from an unnamed jewelry store, only identified as a jewelry design house headquartered in New York City.
Fancy vivid yellow diamonds, the highest color intensity grade for natural-colored diamonds that hue, are considered exceptionally rare gemstones and very valuable, according to the International Gem Society.
The rings in Cherfilus-McCormick’s congressional portrait match the descriptions of two pieces sold by Tiffany & Co., a luxury jeweler based in Manhattan.
The rings resemble the yellow Tiffany Soleste and the Tiffany Victoria band, a Tiffany & Co. client adviser told the Miami New Times when asked whether the high-end company carried the rings in question.
The former, a cushion-cut halo engagement ring, in which the center stone is surrounded by a “halo” of diamonds, can cost as much as $94,000 depending on carat weight and custom designs. The latter, a platinum band coated in Marquise diamonds, retails for $24,500.
Last month, a grand jury indicted Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, on a slew of federal charges, including money laundering, theft of government funds, and conspiracy to make and receive straw donor contributions, among other offenses. Both of them posted bond after surrendering to federal authorities.
Cherfilus-McCormick disputed the allegations, suggesting that the prosecution is politically motivated.
“This is an unjust, baseless, sham indictment — and I am innocent,” she said in a statement. “The timing alone is curious and clearly meant to distract from far more pressing national issues. From day one, I have fully cooperated with every lawful request, and I will continue to do so until this matter is resolved.”
The congresswoman added, “I look forward to my day in court.”
If convicted on all charges, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in federal prison, while her brother could be imprisoned for a maximum of 35 years.
Cherfilus-McCormick was also facing a House Ethics Committee investigation into whether she flouted campaign finance laws.
Cherfilus-McCormick entered office after she won a special election in 2022 to fill an open congressional seat left by the death of longtime Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL), whom she had unsuccessfully challenged twice. After a recount, Cherfilus-McCormick was declared the winner of the Democratic primary by five votes in an upset.
Cherfilus-McCormick was reelected without opposition in November 2024, and in 2026, she is set to face off against former Florida House candidate and activist Elijah Manley for the Democratic nomination.
The Washington Examiner contacted Cherfilus-McCormick’s office for comment.
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