Florida Grand Jury Says DeSantis Officials Misused $10 Million; Report Links Money To Casey DeSantis Charity
A Florida grand jury concluded that officials in Gov. Ron DeSantis's administration misappropriated $10 million from a Medicaid settlement and routed the money through the Hope Florida Foundation.[1]
The leaked report says the foundation then quickly redirected most of the funds to political committees that opposed the 2024 marijuana legalization ballot measure.[1] The grand jury labels the transactions "misappropriation" of public funds and calls them "part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities." CBS News
In September 2024, Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration negotiated a $67 million settlement with Medicaid contractor Centene and inserted language directing $10 million of the total to the Hope Florida Foundation. Hope Florida, created in 2023 to support First Lady Casey DeSantis's welfare initiative, received the funds in October 2024 and then made two $5 million grants that were quickly wired on to political committees including Keep Florida Clean.
Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell convened the grand jury in October 2025 after media reports exposed the transfers.[1] The New York Times reports the grand jury's report was kept under seal after its January 2026 completion, and the paper says it could not independently verify the leaked document.[1]
Asked about the report at an event on Thursday, August 27, 2026, Gov. Ron DeSantis called the finding that funds were misappropriated "a lie." New York Times The grand jury nevertheless said it found insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges.[1]
The mainstream summary does not mention the specific financial context surrounding the $67 million Medicaid settlement, which included $19.4 million designated for documented overbilling losses, while the remaining funds covered profits and potential damages. This detail highlights the complexity of the settlement and raises questions about the appropriateness of diverting a significant portion to political activities. Additionally, the summary overlooks that the Hope Florida Foundation's revenue before receiving the $10 million was only about $850,000, making the infusion more than ten times its previous total. This stark increase suggests a rapid escalation in financial influence that could be seen as problematic by critics.
While the grand jury concluded that funds were misappropriated, it also found insufficient evidence for criminal charges, a nuance that the mainstream coverage downplays. Critics on social media have pointed out that the legal framing of the funds as discretionary donations may have contributed to this outcome, indicating a potential loophole that could allow similar actions in the future. This perspective suggests a broader issue of accountability and regulatory oversight that the mainstream narrative does not fully explore, particularly in light of Florida law requiring Medicaid settlement recoveries to be placed in a state trust fund, which adds another layer of complexity to the situation.[2][3]
Show source details & analysis (2 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
Of the $67 million Centene settlement, approximately $19.4 million covered the state's documented overbilling losses from 2017-2018 data, with the remainder including recovered profits and an additional $10.8 million for other potential damages.
Newly released records linked to Hope Florida reignite intra-GOP political battle — POLITICO
The Hope Florida Foundation's 2024 revenue was approximately $850,000 before the $10 million infusion, which exceeded 10 times its prior-year total.
Hope Florida Foundation - Influence Watch — Influence Watch
Florida law requires Medicaid settlement recoveries to be placed in a state trust fund, with a federal share repaid to the U.S. government; the full $67 million (including the diverted portion) was treated as Medicaid-related for federal repayment purposes.
DeSantis admin treated $10M to Hope Florida as Medicaid cash — Miami Herald
📌 Key Facts
- The New York Times reports that $10 million from the 2024 Medicaid settlement was diverted to the Hope Florida Foundation and then quickly redirected to political committees opposing a marijuana legalization ballot measure (Hope Florida Foundation).
- The grand jury report characterizes the transactions as “misappropriation” of public funds and describes them as “part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities” (grand jury report).
- The New York Times says the report has been under seal since its completion in January 2026 and that the paper could not independently verify the leaked document; named officials have not publicly disputed the document’s authenticity, instead criticizing the leak (The New York Times).
- Gov. Ron DeSantis, asked about the finding at an event on Thursday, August 27, 2026, publicly called the grand jury’s conclusion that funds were misappropriated “a lie” (Gov. Ron DeSantis).
- The grand jury said it found insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges despite concluding that public funds had been misappropriated (insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges).
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The New York Times reports that the $10 million from the 2024 Medicaid settlement was diverted to a charity tied to First Lady Casey DeSantis, specifically the Hope Florida Foundation, before being quickly redirected to political committees opposing a marijuana legalization ballot measure.
- The grand jury report characterizes the transactions as 'misappropriation' of public funds and as 'part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities.'
- The NYT notes the report has been under seal since its completion in January 2026; the Times says it could not independently verify the leaked document but that no named officials have questioned its authenticity, instead criticizing the leak itself.
- Gov. Ron DeSantis, asked about the report at an event on Thursday, August 27, 2026, publicly called the finding that funds were misappropriated 'a lie.'
- The article reiterates that the grand jury said it found insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges, despite the misappropriation finding.