Florida Grand Jury Finds $10M Medicaid Settlement Diverted to Anti-Marijuana Campaign
A Florida grand jury concluded that state officials diverted $10 million from a Medicaid fraud settlement with Centene Corp. to the Hope Florida Foundation, which then transferred the funds through nonprofits to a political action committee aimed at defeating a recreational marijuana ballot measure in 2026. The report found the transfer violated state law but cited difficulty prosecuting due to lack of witness cooperation. The settlement funds were handled by officials including then-Chief of Staff James Uthmeier and then-Attorney General Ashley Moody. Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly pledged to investigate the matter if elected, while criticizing the episode as money laundering that misused Hope Florida, the DeSantis administration initiative aimed at reducing Medicaid and TANF enrollment.
The diversion of Medicaid fraud settlement funds to political activities raises compliance and oversight questions for state Medicaid agencies handling settlements and could trigger federal scrutiny of state fund management practices.
Finance · Managed Care
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