Democrat Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida’s 20th Congressional District has been charged by the Department of Justice in a federal indictment alleging she and her brother stole $5 million in FEMA money during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prosecutors say the funds were routed through multiple accounts, laundered, and then used in part to support her 2021 congressional campaign.

According to the DOJ release, “Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother Edwin Cherfilus, 51, both of Miramar, worked through their family health-care company on a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021.

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In July 2021, the company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds.”

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“The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal that $5 million and routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source,” the DOJ stated.

“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.”

The charges also name Nadege Leblanc of Miramar.

“The indictment further alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick and Nadege Leblanc, 46, of Miramar, arranged additional contributions using straw donors, funneling other monies from the FEMA-funded Covid-19 contract to friends and relatives who then donated to the campaign as if using their own money,” the statement said.

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Cherfilus-McCormick responded to questions about the indictment on Wednesday.

In her statement, she said, “Well, it’s an unjust indictment, and it seems like these intimidation tactics have been pervasive. We spent all week seeing different members getting censured, all in hopes of intimidating and kind of distracting from the Epstein files, and I look forward to my day in court so I can prove myself and actually state the truth.”

“But if this is what Congress is becoming, where they’re always trying to intimidate you, scare tactics, especially attacking minorities, black and brown people, then we’re going to have to keep fighting for the district, and everybody has been giving me so much support, and we are going to keep fighting until the district gets what it needs, which is fair prices, housing, and fair representation in Congress. Thank you so much.”

The federal indictment outlines the allegations involving the FEMA-funded contract, the routing of the overpayment across several accounts, and the use of funds for campaign contributions and personal benefit.

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