Full Breakdown
Hope Florida Grand Jury Report Finds $10 Million Misappropriated
8/31/2026, 11:17:39 AM
Core Event: Grand Jury Finds Misuse of Medicaid Settlement Funds
A Leon County grand jury concluded that $10 million from a $67 million Medicaid settlement with Centene was diverted from the Hope Florida Foundation—a charity created by First Lady Casey DeSantis—to political organizations that supported Governor Ron DeSantis’s campaign against a 2024 marijuana-legalization ballot measure. Because no individual could be identified as the decision-maker, the jury recommended no criminal charges.
Background & Context
The settlement, negotiated by the Agency for Health Care Administration, resolved alleged overbilling by Centene and returned $57 million to the state plus $10 million earmarked for Hope Florida. The foundation’s stated purpose is to connect low-income families with churches and charities as an alternative to government assistance. At the time of the transfer, Ashley Moody was Florida’s attorney general and James Uthmeier served as the governor’s chief of staff; both later received appointments from DeSantis.
Data & Statistics
- Settlement total: $67,048,611.
- $10 million directed to Hope Florida as a “donation.”
- Two $5 million grants were made to Secure Florida’s Future and Save Our Society from Drugs (both 501(c)(4) groups).
- Those nonprofits transferred $8.5 million to Keep Florida Clean, a political action committee chaired by Uthmeier.
- Keep Florida Clean subsequently sent $7 million to the Republican Party of Florida, $1.23 million to the Florida Freedom Fund, and received $2 million back, leaving a net $5 million to the state party.
- The funds were used, in part, to oppose Amendment 3, the 2024 ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana.
Official Statements & Responses
Governor DeSantis dismissed the report as a leak, saying the only crime was the unauthorized disclosure. Attorney General Uthmeier called the investigation a “politically motivated hoax.” Moody’s office said multiple agencies signed the settlement and that she had no knowledge of how the funds would be spent, describing attempts to characterize the transfer otherwise as “disingenuous.” The grand jury noted that “nobody will take responsibility” for routing the money to Hope Florida.
Criticism & Opposition
Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly pledged to reopen the investigation if elected, calling the scheme a “laundering of Medicaid money.” State Representative Angie Nixon, running against Moody for the U.S. Senate, called it “the ultimate betrayal of working families.” Republican Senator Rick Scott described the findings as “deeply concerning,” emphasizing that money intended for poor children was used for political ads.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This may well be the most brazen act of political corruption we have seen here in Florida,” — Jose Javier Rodriguez, former state senator
- “So this is the ultimate betrayal of working families,” — State Representative Angie Nixon
- “That $10 million was taxpayer money," said Petersen, who has been fighting for decades in Florida to make sure the public has access to records and information.” — Barbara Petersen, executive director of the Florida Center for Government Accountability
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The report states that Attorney General Moody “authorized” her deputy John Guard to sign the settlement, while Moody’s office maintains that “multiple agencies” approved the agreement and that she lacked knowledge of the subsequent spending. The jury rejected the argument that the $10 million represented a separate “bonus” from Centene, but the settlement’s original language left room for differing interpretations.
What’s Next
Democratic candidates—including Jolly, Rodriguez, and Nixon—are calling for resignations of Moody and Uthmeier and for a new investigation before the November elections. The grand jury’s recommendations include clearer statutes governing the use of taxpayer-derived funds by direct-support organizations. Both Moody and Uthmeier have indicated they will continue their campaigns, while the DeSantis administration says it will defend the legality of the transfers.
