DeSantis Medicaid settlement funds misappropriation investigation
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Florida grand jury finds DeSantis administration misappropriated Medicaid settlement funds
Testimony revealed that Uthmeier's political action committee, Keep Florida Clean, was the prime recipient of the majority of the $10 million.
The grand jury found that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who was DeSantis's chief of staff at the time, was in a position of authority over those involved in settling with Centene and was identified as having involvement in directing the money after it went to Hope Florida.
The office of Ashley Moody, then Florida's attorney general, knew of the payment, and her chief deputy signed the agreement without conducting due diligence to ensure the proper appropriation of taxpayer funds.
Florida grand jury blasts DeSantis staff and Hope Florida board for lack of due diligence
Both Uthmeier and Moody are running in the November elections to retain the seats DeSantis appointed them to last year.
The release of the grand jury report sparked outrage among state Democratic lawmakers who demanded that both Uthmeier and Moody resign.
The $10 million was part of a larger $67 million settlement with the Centene Corporation, a Medicaid vendor that had overcharged the state for prescription medications.