{"id":2512565,"date":"2025-11-19T19:51:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T00:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-house-democrat-charged-with-stealing-5-million-in-fema-funds\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T19:52:26","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T00:52:26","slug":"florida-house-democrat-charged-with-stealing-5-million-in-fema-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-house-democrat-charged-with-stealing-5-million-in-fema-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida House Democrat charged with stealing $5 million in FEMA funds"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fflorida-house-democrat-charged-with-stealing-5-million-in-fema-funds%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2512565&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Florida Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has been charged by the Department of Justice with stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds. The indictment, issued by a federal grand jury in Miami, alleges that cherfilus-McCormick and a co-conspirator, Nadege Leblanc, laundered the money and funneled a substantial portion of it into her 2021 congressional campaign through a straw donor scheme involving relatives. Additionally, Cherfilus-McCormick and her tax preparer, David K. Spencer, face accusations of filing a false tax return by misrepresenting political spending and personal expenses as business deductions to evade taxes. This case marks the second time a House Democrat has been charged with a crime this year. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the misuse of disaster relief funds and emphasized that no one is above the law. If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison, with her co-defendants also facing substantial prison terms. The representative had previously been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for potential violations related to campaign finance and official conduct.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Florida House Democrat charged with stealing $5 million in FEMA funds<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2408152\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Department of Justice<\/a> has charged <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house-of-representatives\/\">Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick<\/a> (D-FL) with stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds and laundering it, and using the proceeds for her 2021 congressional campaign.<\/p>\n<p>A federal grand jury in Miami handed down the indictment. McCormick was first elected to Congress in 2022 in a special election after former Rep. Alcee Hastings passed away. She then won general elections in 2022 and 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3892779\/appeals-court-halts-overbroad-order-restricting-federal-immigration-officers-use-force\/\">Appeals Court halts &#8216;overbroad&#8217; order restricting federal immigration officers&#8217; use of force<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3892433\/epstein-files-likely-to-be-incomplete-due-to-active-doj-inquiry-in-new-york\/\">Epstein files likely to be incomplete due to active DOJ inquiry in New York<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3891969\/james-boasberg-resumes-contempt-inquiry-trump-alien-enemies-act-deportation-case\/\">Boasberg resumes contempt inquiry in Trump Alien Enemies Act deportation case<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >family healthcare company allegedly received<\/a> a $5 million overpayment from FEMA in 2021 and hid the money through multiple accounts before rerouting a &ldquo;substantial portion&rdquo; of it to her congressional campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Her and co-conspirator Nadege Leblanc, 46, allegedly gave the illicit money to relatives who then donated to her campaign via a straw donor scheme. <\/p>\n<p>Cherfilus-McCormick and her 2021 tax preparer, David K. Spencer, are also accused of conspiring to file a false federal tax return because they allegedly &ldquo;falsely claimed political spending and other personal expenses as business deductions and inflated charitable contributions in order to reduce her tax obligations.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Cherfilus-McCormick is the second House Democrat to be charged with a crime this year after Rep. LaMonica McIver was charged with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ethics-investigation-demanded-after-democrats-storm-ice-prison\/\" title=\"Ethics investigation demanded after Democrats storm ICE ...\">impeding federal officers<\/a> in June. <\/p>\n<p>Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is from Florida, condemned Cherfilus-McCormick&rsquo;s actions. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,&rdquo; she said in a statement. &ldquo;No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>McCormick had been under the scrutiny of the House Ethics Committee after being referred by the Office of Congressional Ethics. <\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3425729\/cherfilus-mccormick-house-rules-campaign-finance-laws-ethics-panel\/\">SHEILA CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK MAY HAVE VIOLATED HOUSE RULES AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS, ETHICS PANEL SAYS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reported that the OCE recommended the Ethics Committee look into whether she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ethics-panel-recommends-further-investigation-into-cherfilus-mccormick\/\" title=\"Ethics panel recommends further investigation into ...\">requested community project funding<\/a> for a for-profit entity, accepted campaign contributions linked to an official action, and whether her office either made payments to an entity or her campaign accepted and failed to report in-kind contributions<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ said Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison if she is convicted. Her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, faces up to 35 years, Spencer up to 33 years, and LeBlanc faces up to 10 years in prison.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Florida Democrat Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick charged with $5M FEMA fraud<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2512566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Sheila-Cherfilus-McCormick.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[42510,5113,6909,33696],"class_list":["post-2512565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-fema-funds","tag-florida","tag-fraud","tag-house-democrat"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Sheila-Cherfilus-McCormick.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2512565"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2512569,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2512565\/revisions\/2512569"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2512566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2512565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2512565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2512565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}