Summary
U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick from Florida faces federal charges for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA disaster funds and using them for her 2021 congressional campaign. The indictment also accuses her and her brother of money laundering and filing a false tax return. She denies the charges and plans to contest them in court.
Key Facts
- U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is charged with stealing $5 million from FEMA.
- The charges include money laundering and filing a false tax return.
- The indictment was issued by a federal grand jury in Miami.
- The funds were allegedly routed through various accounts to hide their origins and used for her political campaign.
- If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick could face many years in prison.
- She was elected to Congress in January 2022 and is the only Haitian American Democrat in Congress.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated she is entitled to the presumption of innocence, though she stepped down from a committee position.
- The charges also relate to a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract given to her family's company, which reportedly received an overpayment from FEMA.
