House Ethics Committee Considers Action Against Rep. Charfilas McCormick
The House Ethics Committee is set to assess the potential expulsion of Florida Representative Sheila Charfilas McCormick amid allegations of $5 million in pandemic aid fraud. Additionally, there have been calls for the expulsion of Republican Rep. Cory Mills from Florida due to issues related to domestic violence and campaign finance, illustrating broader ethics concerns within Congress.
After resigning in the wake of a House ethics investigation, former Rep. Sheila Charfilas McCormick is barred from engaging in business with the federal government as well as from receiving federal grants, subsidies, or contracts.
This follows charges against her for allegedly misappropriating $5 million in FEMA funds intended for COVID-19 relief and making unlawful campaign contributions. She resigned from Congress in late April as Republicans were preparing to vote on her expulsion. Despite her resignation, Charfilas McCormick continues to deny any wrongdoing and is campaigning to reclaim her congressional seat in November.
Recently, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, announced her suspension. This federal designation prevents her from receiving contracts, grants, or other federal assistance. Her brother, Edwin Cherfils, has also been suspended, alongside other officials cited in the federal indictment.
Department of Homeland Security General Counsel James Percival stated, “Former Congresswoman Sheila Charfilas McCormick abused the American people’s trust in the most egregious way imaginable,” adding that she exploited the COVID-19 crisis to redirect FEMA relief funds to herself and her family.
Percival emphasized that this is a clear case of fraud, as established by a federal grand jury and the House of Representatives. He expressed pride that his office is taking measures to hold her accountable and protect taxpayer dollars from further misuse.
Charfilas McCormick was indicted in Miami state court for allegedly stealing $5 million from FEMA in November 2025. Her resignation occurred just prior to recommendations from the House Ethics Committee regarding punishments for misusing disaster relief funds, which she reportedly funneled into campaign finances through various companies.
The committee found her guilty of 18 campaign finance violations, along with several counts of false financial disclosures, misappropriation of public funds, and lack of candor.
Despite the allegations, Charfilas McCormick insists on her innocence, claiming the process has been unfair. She noted that the Ethics Committee dismissed a request from her new attorney for additional preparation time, stating she could not remain silent as her rights were compromised and her reputation damaged.
In her resignation announcement, she mentioned, “I have chosen to step aside from these political games to dedicate my time to fighting for my neighbors in Florida’s 20th District,” indicating her immediate departure from the 119th Congress.
The DHS stated that her suspension aligns with an executive order from President Trump aimed at combating fraud. The task force led by Vice President J.D. Vance has been instructed to tackle fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefits programs to ensure that assistance is rightly distributed to eligible Americans.
Vance recently remarked that the task force is diligently working to eliminate fraud that has exploited the generosity of Americans for too long.
Since the establishment of the task force, it has reportedly exposed claims against 447 California hospices involving suspected fraud exceeding $600 million. Additionally, the U.S. Small Business Administration has referred over 560,000 fraudulent loans related to the pandemic, amounting to $22 billion, to the Treasury Department for recovery.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Charfilas McCormick’s campaign for comments.
