FL sues company that pocketed overpayment after CEO 'loaned herself $6.2 million to win' House seat

09 January

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) signed an agreement with Trinity Health Care Services to register residents for COVID vaccines. The FDEM, according to USA Today, owed $50,578.50 on an invoice but accidentally paid $5 million more than it owed — $5,057,850.00, to be exact.

There were subsequent overpayments to Trinity as well. Now, USA Today's Ana Goñi-Lessan reports, the State of Florida is suing Trinity to get back the money it overpaid.

In 2021, according to Goñi-Lessan, Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick — now serving in the U.S. House of Representatives — was Trinity's CEO. Cherfilus-McCormick, the USA Today reporter notes, has been "the subject of an unrelated House ethics complaint."

In a letter to Trinity dated June 13, 2024, FDEM's Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel Stephanie Houp told the company, "Part of the responsibilities of doing business with the State of Florida is the requirement to return any monies received in error."

In response to USA Today's reporting, Inside Elections' Jacob Rubashkin went to X, formerly Twitter, and posted, " Holy cow! Florida says it accidentally paid a healthcare company $5.7 million instead of $50k. That company's CEO, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, then loaned herself $6.2 million to win a congressional race."

Cherfilus-McCormick was first elected to the U.S. House via a special election in 2022 before winning a regular election later that year. And she was elected to a second full term in 2024.

According to Goñi-Lessan, the State of Florida's overpayments to Trinity add up to more than $5.7 million.

Goñi-Lessan reports, "The State (of Florida) is arguing that Trinity, as a contractor, 'was required to return any overpayments of invoices for work not actually performed and money not actually owed,' and is suing for damages, interest, attorneys' fees, costs and other relief, according to the complaint."

Read the full USA Today article at this link.

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