Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
Born	Sheila Cherfilus 25 1, 1979
Birthplace	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businesswoman, attorney
Known for	U.S. Representative for Florida's 20th congressional district
Education	Howard University (BA) St. Thomas University (JD)
Children	2
Website	[Official campaign website Official site]

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (née Cherfilus; born January 25, 1979) is an American businesswoman, attorney, and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 20th congressional district since January 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, she won a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of longtime congressman Alcee Hastings. Her district encompasses most of the Black-majority areas in and around Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Haitian immigrant parents, Cherfilus-McCormick is among the first Haitian Americans to serve in the United States Congress. Before entering politics, she worked as a healthcare executive. She ran unsuccessfully for the seat twice before winning the November 2021 Democratic primary by a margin of five votes, one of the narrowest margins in modern congressional primary history. In November 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Cherfilus-McCormick on 17 counts related to the alleged theft of $5 million in FEMA funds, money laundering, and illegal campaign contributions. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Early Life

Sheila Cherfilus was born on January 25, 1979, in Brooklyn, New York, to parents who had immigrated to the United States from Haiti. Her Haitian heritage played a significant role in her identity and later political career, as Florida's 20th congressional district is home to one of the largest Haitian American communities in the United States.

Cherfilus-McCormick grew up in a family shaped by the immigrant experience, and she has described her upbringing as motivating her interest in public service and healthcare access. She eventually settled in South Florida, where she became involved in business and community affairs before pursuing a career in politics.

Education

Cherfilus-McCormick attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She subsequently attended St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami Gardens, Florida, where she earned a Juris Doctor degree. Her legal education provided the foundation for her later work in both healthcare and politics.

Career

Business Career

Before entering politics, Cherfilus-McCormick established herself as a businesswoman and healthcare executive in South Florida. She served as the CEO of Trinity Health Care Services, a home health agency. Her business background later became a subject of scrutiny during her congressional campaigns and, eventually, in federal criminal proceedings.

During her campaigns, questions were raised about the nature and accuracy of some of her advertising claims related to her business activities. A 2021 investigation by Local 10 News examined whether certain campaign advertisements were misleading regarding her background and accomplishments.

Early Congressional Campaigns (2018 and 2020)

Cherfilus-McCormick first ran for Congress in 2018, challenging longtime incumbent Alcee Hastings in the Democratic primary for Florida's 20th congressional district. Hastings had held the seat since 1993 and was a well-established figure in South Florida politics. Cherfilus-McCormick, running as a Haitian American candidate in a district with a substantial Haitian American population, sought to offer a generational change in leadership. She lost the 2018 primary to Hastings.

Undeterred, she mounted a second challenge to Hastings in the 2020 Democratic primary. Again, she was defeated by the incumbent, though her campaigns had raised her profile in the district. During the 2020 campaign, the Palm Beach Post reported on her legal background and her challenge to the longtime incumbent.

2021 Special Election Primary

The death of Alcee Hastings on April 6, 2021, created a vacancy in the 20th congressional district. A special election was called to fill the seat, and Cherfilus-McCormick entered a crowded Democratic primary field. Given the district's overwhelmingly Democratic composition, the primary was widely considered the decisive contest.

The primary took place on November 2, 2021, and featured a large number of candidates. Cherfilus-McCormick was described by Jewish Insider as hoping "the third time's a charm" in her pursuit of the congressional seat. Reporting indicated she had invested substantial personal funds into the campaign; Yahoo News described her as a "wealthy candidate" who had spent a significant amount of her own money on the race.

The November 2021 primary produced one of the closest results in modern congressional history. Cherfilus-McCormick initially led by a razor-thin margin, triggering an automatic recount. WLRN reported that South Florida "could soon have its first Haitian American Congress member" but that a recount would first need to be completed. CNN covered the extraordinarily close race and its implications for Haitian American political representation.

After the recount, Florida officials certified Cherfilus-McCormick as the winner of the Democratic primary by a margin of just five votes, according to the Associated Press. The Hill also confirmed the certification of her victory following the recount. NBC News reported on the final results of the primary.

During the campaign, Cherfilus-McCormick received an endorsement from Brand New Congress, a progressive political action committee.

Special General Election and Entry to Congress

Following her primary victory, Cherfilus-McCormick won the January 11, 2022, special general election in the heavily Democratic district. She was sworn in as the U.S. representative for Florida's 20th congressional district on January 18, 2022, becoming one of the first Haitian Americans to serve in the United States Congress.

Tenure in Congress

In Congress, Cherfilus-McCormick represented a district that covers Black-majority communities in and around Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. The district is considered safe territory for Democrats in the otherwise Republican-dominated state of Florida.

Cherfilus-McCormick has been involved in advocacy related to health and environmental concerns in her district. She was among candidates and officials who called on Florida to investigate the health effects of sugar cane burning in the communities surrounding Lake Okeechobee, an issue that disproportionately affects Black and low-income residents. ProPublica reported on her involvement in this advocacy effort.

Federal Indictment and Legal Proceedings

On November 19, 2025, the United States Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury in Miami had returned an indictment charging Cherfilus-McCormick and several co-defendants with conspiracy to commit the theft of government funds, specifically the alleged theft of $5 million in FEMA disaster relief funds, as well as money laundering and making illegal campaign contributions. The indictment included 17 counts. If convicted on all charges, she faces up to 53 years in prison.

According to the DOJ announcement, the charges allege that Cherfilus-McCormick participated in a scheme to steal FEMA funds and then laundered the proceeds, including by funneling some of the money into illegal campaign contributions.

In December 2025, Cherfilus-McCormick's arraignment was delayed. Her attorney attributed the charges to the Florida Democratic Party, a claim reported by Politico.

Cherfilus-McCormick subsequently pleaded not guilty to all federal charges, as reported by The Hill.

In late January 2026, Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) announced that he would force a vote on expelling Cherfilus-McCormick from Congress, according to Axios.

The House Committee on Ethics also took action. In early 2026, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee released a statement regarding Cherfilus-McCormick, and Axios reported that the committee was considering an "extremely rare" televised public hearing to consider charges of financial misconduct against the congresswoman.

In February 2026, Cherfilus-McCormick addressed her federal charges in a one-on-one interview with NBC 6 South Florida, her first such interview since the indictment was announced.

The legal proceedings have had political consequences for Cherfilus-McCormick. As of February 2026, Politico reported that the congresswoman faced a crowded field of primary challengers in the upcoming election, as multiple candidates sought to capitalize on her legal troubles in the safely Democratic district.

Personal Life

Cherfilus-McCormick is of Haitian descent, born to immigrant parents from Haiti. She has two children. She resides in South Florida, in the community she represents in Congress. Her surname reflects both her maiden name (Cherfilus) and her married name (McCormick).

Her Haitian American identity has been a central element of her political career, as the 20th congressional district is home to a large and politically active Haitian American community. Her election was seen as a milestone for Haitian American political representation at the federal level.