Haitian-American U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday morning for her arraignment on federal charges, after the proceeding was postponed in December to allow her time to secure legal representation.
The Florida Democrat and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, are accused of stealing approximately $5 million in federal disaster relief funds while she served as chief executive officer of Trinity Healthcare Services, her family-owned healthcare company. Prosecutors allege that a portion of the funds was later used to finance her successful 2021 congressional campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, was indicted on 15 counts, including allegations of misappropriating federal emergency funds and directing some of that money toward her campaign. The case has drawn attention in part because Trinity Healthcare Services had previously reached a settlement with the state of Florida, raising questions about the federal prosecution.
The congresswoman was elected to represent Florida’s 20th Congressional District—which includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties—in a 2022 special election following the death of longtime Rep. Alcee Hastings.
She has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. When her arraignment was postponed in December, Cherfilus-McCormick told reporters outside the courthouse that she was innocent.
“In no way did I steal any kind of funds,” she said at the time. “I am committed to the people of Florida in my district. We are going to continue fighting and making sure everyone gets the representation they need.”
“We look forward to our day in court so we can prove our innocence,” she added. “A lot has been said about what was done, but it was never done. There’s no place ever in my life I have ever been accused of anything.”
In November, Cherfilus-McCormick described the indictment as “baseless.” The case is expected to continue drawing national attention as the legal process unfolds.
