Florida Grand Jury Says $10 Million Medicaid Settlement Was Misused

A Florida grand jury has accused the administration of Governor Ron DeSantis of misappropriating $10 million in taxpayer money after funds from a Medicaid settlement were transferred to a charity linked to the governor’s wife and then directed to political action committees. The report, dated January 28, 2026, was obtained and published by CBS News Miami, according to The Guardian. Although the report remains sealed, its findings say the Hope Florida Foundation received the money in 2024 following a settlement between Florida and Centene, a contractor involved in the state’s Medicaid program. The jurors said the money was quickly transferred from Hope Florida to two political action committees. They reported that the funds were used to oppose a proposed ballot measure that would have legalized marijuana in Florida and were also sent to the Republican Party of Florida. The grand jury characterized the transactions as part of what it called a sophisticated scheme to support political activity. It also said that no witness accepted responsibility for deciding that the settlement money should go to Hope Florida, and that no one could identify who made that decision. However, the jurors declined to indict anyone, saying there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges. They recommended that Florida lawmakers require money received by the state from any source to be deposited into the state’s General Revenue Fund, with penalties for violations. The report identified Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who was DeSantis’s chief of staff at the time, as having been involved in directing the money after it reached Hope Florida. It said his political committee, Keep Florida Clean, received most of the $10 million. The grand jury also said the office of then-Attorney General Ashley Moody knew about the payment, while her chief deputy signed the agreement without ensuring that the funds had been properly appropriated. Uthmeier and Moody have denied wrongdoing. Uthmeier said he could not comment under Florida law and argued that the absence of probable cause showed nobody had done anything wrong. Moody’s spokesperson said neither the department nor Moody knew how the settlement money would be spent. DeSantis called the settlement legally sound and denied that Medicaid money had been diverted. He said the only apparent crime was the leaking of the grand jury report, and rejected claims that his wife, Casey DeSantis, was involved.