Substantial evidence found that Florida congresswoman committed fraud: report

A House ethics panel Thursday reportedly found "substantial evidence" that Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) has committed conduct that was identified in the indictment against her, according to reports.

In a report, a panel of House lawmakers in the investigative subcommittee cited discovering a number of ethics violations, including violations of campaign finance laws and regulations, criminal laws, the Ethics in Government Act, the Code of Ethics for Government Service, and House rules, according to Politico.

Cherfilus-McCormick was previously indicted "siphoning FEMA funds for her campaign, taking part in a straw donor scheme and tax fraud," according to Politico.

“The ISC’s investigation has revealed substantial evidence of conduct consistent with the allegations in the indictment, as well as more extensive misconduct as laid out in the following Statement of Facts in Support of Alleged Violations related to violations of federal laws and regulations, as well as ethical standards,” according to the committee's report.

Michael Stroud, who represents the Florida lawmaker, has requested that lawmakers pause their committee proceedings as the criminal case continued and asked to dismiss the investigation that started in June 2025.

The lawmaker has denied any claims of wrongdoing.

“Representative Cherfilus-McCormick disputes and refutes the allegations and report of the Ethics Committee’s Investigative Subcommittee,” Stroud said.

In November, a federal grand jury in Miami indicted Cherfilus-McCormick and several co-defendants on charges of stealing federal disaster money, laundering the proceeds and using the money to support her 2021 congressional campaign.

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. In July of that year, the company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA money.

The duo conspired to steal that million and funnel it through multiple accounts to disguise its source, prosecutors said in a news release. A significant amount of the misused money was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s congressional campaign that year, as well as for the personal benefit of the defendants, prosecutors added.

Additionally, authorities said Cherfilus-McCormick and another defendant used straw donors, funneling money from the pandemic contract to friends and family who then donated to her campaign as if using their own cash.