MIAMI, FL- Rules for thee, and not for me. That is the mantra of politicians, especially Democrats. The latest outrage comes courtesy of Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), who was indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami last month on charges that she absconded with millions of dollars in federal disaster-relief funds, the Miami New Times reports.
The indictment charges Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother, Edward Cherfilus, 51, with a scheme to steal $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds that were accidentally overpaid to their family healthcare company in 2021.
It is alleged that the duo funneled money “through multiple accounts to disguise its source” before being redirected to Cherfilus-McCormick's congressional campaign. News of this latest pilfering of taxpayer funds comes on the heels of a bombshell controversy in Minnesota, where it is alleged that up to $9 billion of taxpayer money was stolen.
Cherfilus-McCormick was to be arraigned in a Miami federal courthouse on December 29, however the arraignment was delayed so “she could finalize her legal team.” It is now set for January 20, 2026, according to CBS News. She has pleaded not guilty to 15 federal counts. She claims that she is “innocent.”
Aside from ripping off taxpayers of $5 million, it is how brazen she is about what she did with the money that has caught the attention of many. She has been seen sporting a $109,000 diamond ring, for example.
The indictment alleges that Cherilus-McCormick used some of her ill-gotten funds to purchase the diamond ring, a 3.14-carat “Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond” ring from a New York City jewelry store. The ring was purchased using a $109,000 cashier’s check on September 1, 2021. In fact, her official portrait on the U.S. House site, among other places, shows her prominently displaying the bling.
The New Times sent a photo of the ring and a diamond band to a Tiffany & Co. Client advisor, who told the outlet the following:
“This appears to be the Tiffany Fancy Yellow Single Row Soleste, and the Victoria Band ring,” the advisor replied when asked if the company carried the jewelry. The Single Row Soleste ranges in price from $36,000 to $94,000, depending on the carat weight, while the Victoria Band ring retails at $24,500. The Soleste can range higher if a larger carat weight is ordered.
Cherfilus-McCormick was elected to represent Florida’s 20th congressional district, which includes parts of western and central Broward County, as well as part of Palm Beach County, in 2022 to fill the vacancy created by Rep. Alcee Hastings’ death in 2021. She is facing a primary challenge in the 2026 congressional race from Broward County activist Elijah Manley, 27.
The case stems from Cherfilus-McCormick's healthcare firm, Trinity Health Care Services, being hired by Florida’s Division of Emergency Management to register people for COVID-19 vaccines. In the spring, Trinity sent the state an invoice for $50,578.50. However, a decimal error led the State of Florida to reimburse the company $5,057,850, according to a lawsuit filed in January 2025. The lawsuit alleged that the $5 million was only one of several overpayments totaling more than $5.7 million, and that Trinity ultimately refused to return the money.
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, after the state signed the contract with Trinity and the overpayment took place, Cherfilus-McCormick—then Trinity’s CEO—loaned her campaign $6.2 million, which she used to defeat Republican Drew Montez Clark. A House ethics report concluded that Cherfilus-McCormick may have violated U.S. House rules with her campaign funding antics.
As evidence that Cherfilus-McCormick is trying to hide something, her official House picture—the one with the diamond ring prominently displayed—was photoshopped out of a Christmas post on X. That fact wasn’t lost on a number of commenters on the social media platform.
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