Outside a Miami federal courthouse on Dec. 29, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick reiterated that she is not guilty in a federal case that prosecutors say involves $5 million in pandemic-related disaster funds, including overpayments tied to her family’s health care company. The Florida Democrat said she wanted “to make it very clear that I am innocent,” adding that she did not steal any funds and is committed to the people of her district.
Cherfilus-McCormick faced the court appearance as she is charged with conspiring to steal the funds, according to prosecutors. Her case had been scheduled for arraignment, but her attorney asked the judge to move the proceeding to Jan. 20 so Cherfilus-McCormick could finalize her legal team. Prosecutors did not object, and Judge Lisette Reid agreed to the rescheduled date. The hearing itself lasted less than five minutes.
Cherfilus-McCormick previously pleaded not guilty, and the charges were described as involving 15 federal counts. The allegations center on payments prosecutors say were made to Trinity Healthcare Services after it received a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract, paired with what prosecutors described as steps taken after the money came in.
Her attorney, David Oscar Markus, argued that the matter involves mistakes that do not amount to misdemeanors, let alone felonies. Markus also said he believes the case is politically motivated. Prosecutors, in contrast, have laid out a set of counts that they say tie together the alleged overpayments and related financial conduct.
Cherfilus-McCormick was arrested in November and released on a $60,000 bond. Along with bail conditions, the judge ordered her to surrender her personal passport and set limits on travel to Florida, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and the Eastern District of Virginia, while allowing her to retain her congressional passport for certain duties.
According to the federal indictment, prosecutors said that within two months of receiving the 2021 funds, more than $100,000 was spent on a 3-carat yellow diamond ring. Prosecutors also alleged that a contract involving Trinity Healthcare Services was supposed to lead to $50,000 in requested payments, but that the company instead received $5 million and did not return the difference.
The indictment said the money received by Trinity Healthcare was distributed to various accounts, including to friends and relatives who then donated to Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign for Congress. Cherfilus-McCormick won a special election in January 2022 to represent Florida’s 20th District, which includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, after Rep. Alcee Hastings died in 2021.
The charges she faces include theft of government funds; making and receiving straw donor contributions; aiding and assisting a false and fraudulent statement on a tax return; and money laundering, along with conspiracy charges linked to each of those counts. A previous statement provided by Cherfilus-McCormick’s chief of staff said she does not plan to resign, and she said she has cooperated with “every lawful request” and intends to keep doing so until the matter is resolved.