Indicted House Democrat Changes Official Photo To Hide Expensive Jewelry

Florida Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who was indicted by a grand jury last month on allegations of stealing money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, posted what appears to be an edited version of her official House portrait Thursday that does not include a prominent diamond ring.

The indictment alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick, her brother Edwin Cherfilus, and several co-defendants stole approximately $5 million from FEMA, laundered the funds, and used the proceeds to finance her 2021 congressional campaign.

According to court documents, some of the allegedly stolen money was used to purchase a yellow diamond ring. Prosecutors say Cherfilus-McCormick cashed a cashier’s check for about $109,000 on or around Sept. 1, 2021, to buy the ring, Just the News reported.

Cherfilus-McCormick’s official House portrait shows her wearing the ring. However, the image she posted on X on Christmas did not include the jewelry. A Community Notes entry on the post drew attention to the missing ring.

“From my family to yours, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a joyful, safe holiday season,” she wrote in the post.

The Washington Examiner reported that the yellow diamond ring matches two rings sold by the New York jeweler Tiffany & Co.  Just the News noted that the congresswoman’s office said a staffer made the edit and that it wasn’t approved by Cherfilus-McCormick.

“This action was not directed, approved, or authorized by the Congresswoman,” her chief of staff Naomie Pierre-Louis told CBS12. “It was a staff-level decision made by well-intentioned individuals seeking to protect the Member’s reputation. It was unauthorized and should not have occurred. The image is the Congresswoman’s official portrait, and she has no intention of altering or editing it now or in the future.”

The Democratic lawmaker has also denied she was involved in any money-laundering.

“This is an unjust, baseless, sham indictment — and I am innocent,” she said in a statement last month. “The timing alone is curious and clearly meant to distract from far more pressing national issues. From day one, I have fully cooperated with every lawful request, and I will continue to do so until this matter is resolved … I look forward to my day in court.”

Federal prosecutors have alleged that a lawmaker and her brother were involved in a scheme related to a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021.

According to the claims, their family health-care company received $5 million more than it was entitled to from FEMA. The duo is accused of plotting to embezzle these excess funds and conceal their actions by dispersing the money across various accounts.

Moreover, prosecutors contend that a significant portion of the misappropriated funds was diverted to support Cherfilus-McCormick’s political campaign, with the remainder allegedly distributed to other defendants for personal expenses.

The indictment also accuses the congresswoman of conspiring with her tax preparer to file a false federal tax return.

If found guilty, Cherfilus-McCormick could face a prison sentence of up to 53 years, while her brother could be sentenced to as many as 35 years.

The ongoing ethics and criminal investigations continue to overshadow the congresswoman’s already troubled reputation, even prior to this indictment, which comes as Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, is already under increased scrutiny for her family company’s pandemic-era finances.

In late 2024, Florida’s Division of Emergency Management filed suit against Trinity Healthcare Services — the firm she led before entering Congress — alleging the company overcharged the state by nearly $5.8 million for COVID-19 vaccine registration services and refused to repay the funds.

State officials said the dispute surfaced after a single $5 million overpayment triggered alarms, raising broader questions about Trinity’s handling of major public contracts during the pandemic.

In July, the House Ethics Committee unanimously voted to extend its investigation into whether she improperly benefited from the company’s government contracts, placing her under rare bipartisan scrutiny even before the federal indictment.