TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A scandal over $10 million in Florida Medicaid settlement money is still rippling through this election season. A Tallahassee grand jury concluded in August that the money was misappropriated, but it did not recommend any criminal charges.
The grand jury report was obtained by CBS Miami and covered by CBS12. Here is what it found, in plain terms.
Where the money came from
Florida reached a $67 million settlement with Centene Corporation, a major Medicaid provider that was accused of overbilling taxpayers for prescription drugs. Of that settlement, $10 million was earmarked as a donation to Hope Florida, a charitable initiative led by First Lady Casey DeSantis.
Where it went
- A month later, the Hope Florida Foundation sent the $10 million to two nonprofit political groups.
- Those groups then sent about $8.5 million to Keep Florida Clean, a political committee created to oppose Amendment 3, a ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana.
- The committee was chaired by James Uthmeier, who was then Gov. Ron DeSantis’ chief of staff and is now Florida’s attorney general.
What the grand jury concluded
The grand jury said the transfer was “part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities.” It named Uthmeier as a central figure because his committee received most of the money.
It also said it could not charge anyone with a crime. Witnesses could not recall, or would not say, who made the decision to send the $10 million to Hope Florida, so there was not enough evidence to bring charges.
How people responded
- Gov. Ron DeSantis has said the only crime connected to the matter was the leak of the grand jury report.
- Uthmeier has argued that the $10 million was not Medicaid money. He has called it a “sweetener” Centene added on top of the larger Medicaid settlement.
- Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican, said money meant for “poor kids” was diverted.
- Democrats have called it a scheme to launder state Medicaid money for political purposes. In 2025, two Florida Democratic members of Congress asked federal officials to investigate.
Why it matters now
The Associated Press reported this week that the fallout is rippling across Florida as voters head to the polls. Florida is also among the states electing a governor this year; for a wider look at those contests, see our report on where the close governor races are.
What’s next
The grand jury recommended no charges, so any further action would depend on other investigators or on the political process. This story will be updated if officials announce a new review.
