Grand jury: DeSantis admin ‘misappropriated’ tax dollars in Hope Florida scandal

A Florida grand jury found Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-Fla.) administration “misappropriated” a payment from a Medicaid settlement into the Hope Florida Foundation — an organization “championed” by first lady Casey DeSantis.

The grand jury argued the $10 million transfer was “part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities,” according to a copy of the sealed grand jury report obtained by CBS News Miami .

The money was originally part of a $67 million settlement agreement against the state’s largest Medicaid contractor, Centene, with $10 million going to Hope Florida as a “donation.”

The donated money was meant “to be a community-based welfare program that serves as a cost-efficient alternative to government assistance programs.”

The report found it was instead used by organizations that helped campaign against a Florida ballot measure that would have legalized recreational marijuana in 2024.

The arrangement reportedly funneled the payment through the charity connected to Hope Florida and was eventually sent to two nonprofit groups involved in the campaign against the ballot measure.

“Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally,” the report concluded. “Nobody will take responsibility for deciding the $10 million of taxpayer money would go to Hope Florida… or had any memory of who made it.”

The grand jury implicated Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), who was attorney general at the time and not called to testify, was aware of the plan to divert the payment and “authorized” her former chief deputy, John Guard, to sign the settlement agreement.

Moody is up for reelection this year after being appointed by DeSantis to take over Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s seat.

The Chief of Staff for DeSantis, James Uthmeier, was also found to be “in a position of authority over those involved in settling.”

“Testimony identified him as having involvement in directing the money after it went to Hope Florida. Testimony also revealed that Mr. Uthmeier’s Keep Florida Clean, a political action committee, was the prime recipient of the majority of the $10 million taxpayer funds,” the grand jury wrote.

The Florida governor has maintained other 2025 probes into the scheme as part of a “manufactured” smear campaign against him and his wife.

“It was all political,” DeSantis told reporters in 2025. “People smear what they fear. If Hope Florida represents a threat to their world view, they’re going to go after it.”

DeSantis did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment.