Ethics Watchdog Refers Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick to Department of Justice Following $5.8 Million State Overpayment Controversy and Ongoing Ethics Violations

Washington, D.C. --- July 16, 2025 — Today, the non-partisan ethics watchdog, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), referred Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for a potential criminal investigation related to a $5.8 million overpayment her company received from the State of Florida and Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick's alleged misuse of those funds during her 2021 congressional campaign.

This referral builds on a previous ethics complaint filed by FACT with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) in March 2025 and comes amid ongoing investigations into Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick by both the OCE and House Ethics Committee. The OCE has already found substantial evidence of misconduct, including improper campaign contributions, personal favors for friends, and misrepresentation of campaign finances.

At the center of this new referral is the $5.8 million mistakenly paid by the State of Florida to Trinity Health Care Services while Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick served as CEO. Despite the payment being 100 times more than the company was owed, Trinity kept the funds. Around the same time, Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick’s income increased by more than $6 million, all from entities tied to her, her family, or Trinity. In the midst of this situation Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick also loaned a similar amount of money to her campaign, while her congressional financial disclosures showed no corresponding increase in her personal assets. Although Florida demanded repayment, Trinity refused, leading to a lawsuit and eventual settlement in April. The company agreed to repay $5.6 million over the next 15 years, revealing it no longer had the funds on hand.

As stated in FACT’s referral to the DOJ: “Although the evidence above suggests what happened to the $5 million, the Justice Department is in a unique position to discover the truth of the matter.”

“The facts of this case have only become more damning since filing our original complaint in March. A sitting Member of Congress is now tied not just to a series of ethics violations, but also to potentially serious criminal conduct involving millions in taxpayer dollars. Historically the Ethics Committee had not been timely nor reliable in assuring justice when it involves their own Members. Both the stakes and the evidence involved here fully merit involvement by the highest investigative and enforcement body in our government. It is for this reason the Department of Justice should fully investigate this matter to ensure accountability and uphold public trust in our democratic institutions,” said Kendra Arnold, Executive Director of FACT.

A full copy of the referral can be found HERE.

FACT is a nonprofit organization promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas. For more on FACT, visit: http://www.factdc.org

###