Florida Grand Jury Report Sheds Light on Misuse of Medicaid Funds
A state grand jury report recently found that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration “misappropriated” funds by diverting Medicaid money to a nonprofit, which eventually supported political committees aligned with his agenda. Despite these findings, the report did not lead to any criminal charges. CBS Miami first published the details of the report on Wednesday evening.
In 2024, Florida reached a settlement with Centene Corp., a vendor for the state’s Medicaid program. From the total $67 million settlement, $10 million was directed to the Hope Florida Foundation. This foundation is connected to an initiative led by First Lady Casey DeSantis. Subsequently, the funds were equally divided between two nonprofit groups: Secure Florida’s Future and Save Our Society From Drugs.
Furthermore, $8.5 million from the two nonprofits was transferred to Keep Florida Clean, a political action committee managed by James Uthmeier — DeSantis’ chief of staff at the time. DeSantis appointed Uthmeier as Florida Attorney General soon after. Keep Florida Clean funneled $9 million to the Republican Party of Florida and another $1.23 million to the Florida Freedom Fund, chaired by Uthmeier. This committee specifically opposed two November 2024 ballot measures concerning constitutional rights to abortion and the legalization of recreational marijuana. Both measures failed to achieve the 60 percent approval necessary for passage.
The grand jury report stated Uthmeier held a significant position of authority over those negotiating with Centene. Witnesses indicated he was involved in directing funds after they were allocated to Hope Florida. However, no one identified who precisely directed the funds to Hope Florida. The Attorney General’s office has not responded to comments.
The grand jury found insufficient evidence for criminal charges, saying “nobody will take responsibility for deciding the $10 million of taxpayer money would go to Hope Florida.” The report criticized the misuse of taxpayer money for political purposes, suggesting changes to prevent future occurrences.
In a social media post, Alex Lanfranconi, DeSantis’ communications director, labeled the CBS Miami story as a “baseless smear” and claimed any leak of the report constituted the only crime. The report also mentioned former Attorney General Ashley Moody, who authorized the settlement agreement with Centene. Moody was later appointed to the U.S. Senate by DeSantis.
The grand jury investigation commenced after Rep. Alex Andrade began scrutinizing the matter during the 2025 legislative session. Andrade accused Uthmeier and Jeff Aaron, a lawyer connected to the foundation, of legal violations concerning the settlement and subsequent grants. He declined to comment for this story.
State Attorney Jack Campbell had issued subpoenas for witness testimony before the grand jury, but the results remained confidential until CBS Miami’s publication. Republican leaders, including DeSantis, dismissed inquiries about the investigation. Hours before the report’s release, DeSantis labeled the scandal a “hoax.”
Democratic leaders, including Sen. Tracie Davis, criticized the findings as an “egregious abuse of power.” Davis plans to propose legislation to bolster laws preventing corruption and ensuring transparency. Jacksonville Rep. Angie Nixon, campaigning against Moody for the U.S. Senate, demanded Moody’s resignation for her involvement in the scandal.
Nixon stated, “None of this is leadership. None of this shows good judgment. None of this shows courage.” She asserted Moody has breached public trust and must resign immediately.