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Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (née Cherfilus; /ˈʃɜːrfɪləs/ SHUR-fill-əss; born January 25, 1979) is an American businesswoman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 20th congressional district since 2022. Her district covers most of the Black-majority areas in and around Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. A member of the Democratic Party, she won a special election in 2022 to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Alcee Hastings.
Cherfilus-McCormick has been the subject of financial fraud charges including, in November 2025, being indicted on seventeen counts of theft of $5 million in FEMA funds and making illegal campaign contributions. If convicted, she faces up to 53 years in prison.
Cherfilus-McCormick was born in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, to parents from Haiti and raised in the borough of Queens. She moved to Florida at 13 to attend high school. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and government from Howard University and a Juris Doctor from the St. Thomas University School of Law.
After graduating from college, Cherfilus-McCormick served as a project manager for the New York City Transit Authority. From 1999 to 2007, she worked as the vice president for operations of Trinity Health Care Services, a Florida-based family home health care company co-founded by her stepfather, Gabriel Smith. She later served as CEO.
Cherfilus-McCormick is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
On December 27, 2023, the House Ethics Committee announced that it was investigating Cherfilus-McCormick over complaints that she may have violated campaign finance laws, failed to submit required disclosures, and carried out improper hiring practices. Cherfilus-McCormick has denied the allegations.
Cherfilus-McCormick ran for Florida's 20th congressional district in the August 28 Democratic primary against incumbent Alcee Hastings in 2018. She lost, 73.6%–26.4%.
Cherfilus-McCormick challenged Hastings again in 2020. She noted various ethics concerns facing Hastings and his health as reasons for running. She lost the August 18 primary, 69.3%–30.7%.
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Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (née Cherfilus; /ˈʃɜːrfɪləs/ SHUR-fill-əss; born January 25, 1979) is an American businesswoman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 20th congressional district since 2022. Her district covers most of the Black-majority areas in and around Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. A member of the Democratic Party, she won a special election in 2022 to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Alcee Hastings.
Cherfilus-McCormick has been the subject of financial fraud charges including, in November 2025, being indicted on seventeen counts of theft of $5 million in FEMA funds and making illegal campaign contributions. If convicted, she faces up to 53 years in prison.
Cherfilus-McCormick was born in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, to parents from Haiti and raised in the borough of Queens. She moved to Florida at 13 to attend high school. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and government from Howard University and a Juris Doctor from the St. Thomas University School of Law.
After graduating from college, Cherfilus-McCormick served as a project manager for the New York City Transit Authority. From 1999 to 2007, she worked as the vice president for operations of Trinity Health Care Services, a Florida-based family home health care company co-founded by her stepfather, Gabriel Smith. She later served as CEO.
Cherfilus-McCormick is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
On December 27, 2023, the House Ethics Committee announced that it was investigating Cherfilus-McCormick over complaints that she may have violated campaign finance laws, failed to submit required disclosures, and carried out improper hiring practices. Cherfilus-McCormick has denied the allegations.
Cherfilus-McCormick ran for Florida's 20th congressional district in the August 28 Democratic primary against incumbent Alcee Hastings in 2018. She lost, 73.6%–26.4%.
Cherfilus-McCormick challenged Hastings again in 2020. She noted various ethics concerns facing Hastings and his health as reasons for running. She lost the August 18 primary, 69.3%–30.7%.
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