A Florida grand jury has found that Hope Florida funds misappropriated from a Medicaid settlement were funnelled to political action committees rather than to poor children seeking health insurance, though it stopped short of filing criminal charges.
The Leon County grand jury completed its report in January into Hope Florida, the charity founded in 2021 by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis. The report, obtained and published by CBS Miami, found the $10 million had been moved to PACs that used it to oppose a 2024 statewide ballot measure on legalising cannabis for adults.
That measure fell just short of the 60% supermajority it needed to become law. Governor Ron DeSantis had publicly opposed it.
How the Hope Florida funds misappropriated were moved
According to FOX 35 Orlando, the $10 million was split into two $5 million grants and redirected to Secure Florida’s Future and Save Our Society from Drugs, both 501(c)(4) organisations. CBS Miami reported that on 4 October 2024, healthcare firm Centene transferred the full $10 million into the Hope Florida Foundation bank account.
The money originated from a state Medicaid settlement intended to help low-income children obtain health insurance.
‘Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally,’ the grand jury report concluded.
The jury said no one would take responsibility for directing the funds to the charity, and none of those involved had any memory of who gave the instruction. ‘While we can’t prove who is responsible, we can plainly see that taxpayer money was misused for political purposes and we would like to see changes made to prevent this from happening again,’ it stated.
Key figures deny wrongdoing
The report identified James Uthmeier, DeSantis’ chief of staff at the time, as being ‘in a position of authority over those involved in settling.’ His Keep Florida Clean PAC was named as the prime recipient of the $10 million.
The grand jury also found that then-state Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office knew of the plans to divert the money. DeSantis later appointed Moody to the US Senate. Both Uthmeier and Moody are seeking re-election.
At a news conference on Thursday, Uthmeier suggested Democrats were behind the leak of the sealed report and described renewed interest in the findings as ‘a politically motivated hoax.’
In a post on X, Moody said her office was only one of several agencies that signed off on the initial settlement and ‘had no knowledge of how funds would be spent’ by Hope Florida, state lawmakers or any other group.
DeSantis did not dispute the legitimacy of the report but insisted no laws were broken. He warned that whoever leaked the sealed documents would face ‘consequences.’
David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for governor, called for the grand jury probe to be reopened. He faces Republican Byron Donalds in November. Under Florida law, DeSantis cannot seek a third term.
Hope Florida is designed to help financially struggling families connect with churches and aid groups, with the aim of reducing reliance on publicly-financed assistance programmes.
The grand jury said it wanted reforms to prevent public money being redirected in a similar manner, though it did not specify a deadline for any legislative action.
