Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a third-term congresswoman from Florida, has announced her resignation amid an ethics investigation and criminal charges related to the alleged misuse of $5 million in federal disaster relief funds. The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted her on charges of fraud and money laundering, claiming she diverted funds intended for a Covid-19 vaccination staffing contract linked to her family’s healthcare company. The funds were reportedly misappropriated through a conspiracy involving her brother, Edwin Cherfilus.

In addition to the criminal charges, a separate investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee found that Cherfilus-McCormick violated 25 ethics rules after a thorough inquiry that included issuing 59 subpoenas and reviewing over 33,000 pages of documents. The findings raised concerns about the integrity of the House as an institution, prompting bipartisan calls for her resignation. While some political groups have urged lawmakers not to expel her, asserting that it would leave constituents unrepresented, her resignation will create a vacancy until a replacement is elected.