DeSantis administration diverted $10 million meant to help poor children, Florida grand jury finds
DeSantis did not dispute the legitimacy of the secret grand jury report obtained, but said whoever leaked the documents would face “consequences.”
A Florida grand jury concluded that Republican Governor Ron DeSantis' administration improperly diverted $10 million intended to assist impoverished children, but refrained from charging anyone due to insufficient evidence implicating specific individuals. DeSantis affirmed the report's accuracy but maintained that no laws were violated.
He vowed that the individual responsible for leaking the sealed documents would face repercussions. The grand jury investigation, completed in January, focused on Hope Florida, a charity founded in 2021 by the governor's wife, Casey DeSantis. The $10 million was allegedly redirected from a Medicaid settlement to aid financially disadvantaged families in connecting with aid groups, instead ending up in political action committees that opposed a marijuana legalization ballot measure in 2024.
The grand jury attributed the misappropriation to James Uthmeier, DeSantis' chief of staff at the time, and noted that then-State Attorney General Ashley Moody, now a U.S. Senator appointed by DeSantis, was aware of the plans to divert the funds. Uthmeier and Moody are both seeking re-election. The grand jury report highlighted the need for reforms to prevent similar misuse of taxpayer money for political purposes.
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