WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — As Rihanna sang, “Yellow diamonds in the light.” For U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, that lyric now carries a very different meaning.
Federal prosecutors claim the Florida Democrat, who represents District 20, conspired to steal $5 million in federal disaster-relief funds intended for COVID-19 response efforts. According to the 42-pa indictment, the money was accidentally overpaid to Trinity Healthcare Services, her family’s medical company, during a 2021 FEMA-funded vaccination staffing contract. Instead of returning the funds, prosecutors say Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother routed the money through multiple accounts to disguise its source, funneling portions into her congressional campaign and personal purchases.
One purchase stands out: a 3.14-carat “Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond” ring bought from a New York jeweler for $109,000. The indictment claims the congresswoman used a cashier’s check for the transaction just two months after the overpayment. Her official House portrait shows a yellow diamond ring that closely resembles the one described in court documents, however, it’s not confirmed.
Cherfilus-McCormick surrendered to authorities Tuesday and appeared in Miami federal court, where a judge set her bond at $60,000. She was ordered to surrender her personal passport and restrict travel to Florida and Washington, D.C., though she may use her congressional passport for official duties. The charges include theft of government funds, straw donor contributions, false tax statements, money laundering, and conspiracy. If convicted, she faces up to 53 years in prison, though as a first-time offender, her sentence would likely be less severe.
See also: WATCH: Drone team finds missing woman with autism in complete darkness
Before she surrendered herself, Cherfilus-McCormick responded on Nov. 20 after being indicted on federal charges.
“We spent all week seeing different members getting censured, all in hopes of intimidating and kind of distracting from the Epstein files,” said Cherfilus-McCormick. “And I look forward to my day in court so I can prove myself and it’s actually state the truth.”
The case now moves forward under intense public scrutiny, raising questions about ethics, campaign finance, and the misuse of taxpayer dollars. For now, the congresswoman remains in office, her future — and that yellow diamond — under a glaring spotlight.
Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day’s top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can’t miss video.
