Democrat Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) has surrendered to federal authorities in Miami, Florida, amid sweeping allegations that she and her brother orchestrated a multimillion-dollar criminal scheme to steal and launder taxpayer-funded federal disaster-relief money.
Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of diverting a portion of it to her 2021 congressional race and using the rest to fund her lavish lifestyle.
The congresswoman is accused of blowing the tax dollars on luxury items for herself, including the purchase of an extravagant 3.14-carat yellow diamond ring.
The 46-year-old Broward County Democrat appeared in federal court in handcuffs.
She is facing a 15-count indictment that includes conspiracy, theft of government funds, money laundering, straw-donor campaign contributions, and filing false tax statements.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), prosecutors say Cherfilus-McCormick and her 51-year-old brother, Edwin Cherfilus, illegally siphoned $5,057,850 from FEMA’s COVID-19 relief programs.
In the DOJ’s words, “The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal that $5 million and routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source.
“Prosecutors allege that a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants.”
Prosecutors further allege that Cherfilus-McCormick and co-defendant Nadege Leblanc “arranged additional contributions using straw donors,” funneling relief money to friends and relatives who then posed as legitimate campaign donors.
The indictment also claims Cherfilus-McCormick and tax preparer David K. Spencer filed a false 2021 federal tax return by disguising personal and political expenses as business deductions.
The Money Trail: Millions in Misused Federal Funds
According to the Miami Herald’s reporting on the indictment, the alleged distribution of stolen FEMA money is staggering:
• $2.4 million into the congresswoman’s consulting company
• $1.2 million routed to relatives
• $830,000 into an account where Cherfilus-McCormick was an authorized signer
• $334,000 to Leblanc for the straw-donor operation
• $190,000 to a company tied to her brother
• $109,000 used to purchase the now-infamous Fancy Yellow Diamond ring
Prosecutors say more than $1.14 million was funneled into her 2021 campaign account in September and October, right as she was mounting her congressional bid, and that the funds were “illegally sourced and misrepresented.”
Rare Federal Takedown of a Sitting Member of Congress
Inside the courtroom, Cherfilus-McCormick “appeared in civilian clothes and was handcuffed at the wrists,” the Herald reported.
She answered brief questions from Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett about the charges and potential penalties.
Under the terms agreed upon by prosecutors and her defense, the court set:
• A $25,000 personal surety bond
• A $35,000 additional bond, of which she paid $1,750 to secure release
She surrendered her personal passport but was allowed to keep her congressional passport.
Her travel is now restricted to:
• The Southern District of Florida
• The District of Columbia
• The Eastern District of Virginia
• The District of Maryland
Her arraignment is scheduled for December 29.
The Democrat lawmaker’s co-defendants face steep maximum penalties if convicted: Up to 35 years for her brother, up to 33 years for Spencer, and up to 10 years for Leblanc.
Devastating Political Bombshell for Democrats
The indictment levels some of the most serious federal charges brought against a sitting member of Congress in recent years, and it comes at a time when Democrats have aggressively framed themselves as defenders of “democracy” and ethical governance.
For now, Cherfilus-McCormick remains in office.
However, the legal and political fallout of a $5 million FEMA theft scheme, allegedly used to bankroll her ascent to Congress, is only beginning.
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