Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Fla.-20th, hosts a quality league regarding the ongoing situation successful Haiti connected March 11, 2024, successful Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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A national expansive assemblage charged U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., with stealing $5 cardinal successful Covid-19 catastrophe funds — a chunk of which was past illegally contributed to her 2021 legislature campaign, the Department of Justice said Wednesday.
Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, tried to launder the wealth done aggregate accounts to disguise its source, the DOJ said, citing the indictment issued successful U.S. District Court successful Miami.
The siblings obtained the wealth successful July 2021, aft the household health-care institution wherever they worked received a $5 cardinal overpayment from FEMA, which funded the company's Covid vaccination staffing contract, according to the DOJ.
Cherfilus-McCormick and different defendant, Nadege Leblanc, are besides accused of orchestrating a "straw donor" strategy successful which wealth from the FEMA declaration was sent to friends and relatives, who past donated it backmost to her run for Congress.
Cherfilus-McCormick joined the House successful 2022 aft winning a peculiar election that January to capable precocious Rep. Alcee Hastings' spot representing Florida's 20th Congressional District.
The congresswoman and her 2021 taxation preparer, David Spencer, are besides charged successful the indictment with conspiring to record a mendacious taxation return, the DOJ said. They claimed idiosyncratic and governmental expenses arsenic concern deductions and "inflated charitable contributions successful bid to trim her taxation obligations," the indictment alleges.
Cherfilus-McCormick faces a imaginable maximum condemnation of 53 years successful situation if convicted, the DOJ said successful a property release. Actual sentences are often importantly little than the maximums owed to judges' discretion and national sentencing guidelines.
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"Using catastrophe alleviation funds for self-enrichment is simply a peculiarly selfish, cynical crime," Attorney General Pam Bondi said successful a statement.
"No 1 is supra the law, slightest of each almighty radical who rob taxpayers for idiosyncratic gain," Bondi said. "We volition travel the facts successful this lawsuit and present justice."
A spokesperson for Cherfilus-McCormick did not instantly respond to CNBC's petition for comment.
Her attorneys, David Oscar Markus, Margot Moss and Melissa Madrigal, said successful a associated connection that she "is a committed nationalist servant, who is dedicated to her constituents. We volition combat to wide her bully name."
Cherfilus-McCormick has been nether probe by the House Ethics Committee, the panel revealed successful precocious May.
The Office of Congressional Conduct sent a referral to that committee successful May 2024, laying retired a fig of imaginable violations. Cherfilus-McCormick "may person requested assemblage task backing that would beryllium directed to a for-profit entity," the bureau said successful that referral.
Edwin Cherfilus faces up to 35 years successful situation if convicted of the charges announced Wednesday, portion Spencer faces up to 33 years, and Leblanc faces a 10-year maximum sentence.
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