Florida Grand Jury: $10M Medicaid Funds 'Misappropriated'

A Florida grand jury found the DeSantis administration misappropriated $10 million from a Medicaid settlement, routing it to charity and political PACs.

The grand jurors concluded the funds were misappropriated "as part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities," but declined to indict anyone, citing insufficient evidence. The money was reportedly used to lobby against a marijuana legalization ballot measure and sent to the Republican Party of Florida. The jurors wrote that nobody would take responsibility for deciding the $10 million should go to Hope Florida, calling that decision the original misappropriation.

The jurors identified Attorney General James Uthmeier, DeSantis's chief of staff at the time, as being in a position of authority over the Centene settlement, with testimony identifying him as directing the money after it went to Hope Florida. According to CBS News, the report says Uthmeier's PAC, Keep Florida Clean, was the prime recipient of most of the $10 million. The jurors also faulted then-Attorney General Ashley Moody's office, saying her chief deputy signed the agreement without due diligence. Both deny wrongdoing.

DeSantis said the settlement was "legally sound" and appropriate, denying any diversion of Medicaid funds and suggesting the only apparent crime was the leak of the sealed report. He said his wife was not involved in anything. Uthmeier declined to comment on the report's contents, citing Florida law, called it a "hoax," and, per CBS News Miami, threatened to bring criminal charges against reporters asking about it. A Moody spokesperson told the New York Times she had no knowledge of how the money would be spent.

The report has energized Florida's fall campaigns: Uthmeier's Democratic rival Jose Javier Rodriguez and Senate candidate Angie Nixon have demanded resignations, while gubernatorial nominee David Jolly pledged to reopen an investigation if elected and challenged Republican Byron Donalds to do the same. Even Republicans are alarmed — Senator Rick Scott called the findings "deeply concerning," and State Senator Don Gaetz said the affair brings disgrace on Florida government. The grand jury urged the legislature to require all state receipts be deposited into General Revenue, with real consequences for violations.