Washington DC: United States Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida was indicted on Wednesday after being accused of stealing USD five million in federal disaster funds. Cherfilus-McCormick was also accused of using the money to support her 2021 congressional campaign.
It was alleged that the Democrat had stolen Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) overpayments. Notably, her family health care company had received the money through a federally funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract, reported The Associated Press, quoting federal prosecutors.
“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement, as reported by the news agency.
Who Is Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick?
Cherfilus-McCormick, born in Brooklyn on January 25, 1979, is an American businesswoman and politician. She is currently serving as the U.S. representative for Florida’s 20th congressional district.
Cherfilus-McCormick is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. In 2018, she ran for Florida’s 20th congressional district in the August 28 Democratic primary against incumbent Alcee Hastings, but she lost. She again contested against Hastings in 2020; however, Hastings defeated her for the second time.
After Hastings’ death, Cherfilus-McCormick ran again in the 20th district in the 2022 special election. This time she managed to win the primary.
Cherfilus-McCormick then defeated Republican Jason Mariner in the January 11, 2022, general election. She is the only Haitian-American Democrat ever elected to Congress. She is the second Haitian-American overall, after Republican Mia Love of Utah.
