TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A leaked state grand jury report from earlier this year details the findings of an investigation into Hope Florida, a nonprofit spearheaded by Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis.
The investigation focused on the handling of millions of dollars connected to a settlement between the state and Centene Corporation.
Founded in 2021, Hope Florida serves as a connector between community members and various organizations, according to its website.
Questions about money received by the organization were raised last year by State Rep. Alex Andrade, eventually prompting a grand jury investigation.
The report says the allegations of misuse stem from a settlement reached with Centene Corporation over claims of overbilling.
In September 2024, the state agreed to have the company pay $57 million to the state and an additional $10 million to Hope Florida.
According to testimony from a forensic accountant, the $10 million was transferred from Centene to Hope Florida on Sept. 4, 2024.
Within weeks, the funds were divided between the PACs Save Our Society From Drugs and Secure Florida’s Future.
The report shows that some of that money was later transferred to Keep Florida Clean, another PAC led by now-Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Uthmeier said he could not comment on the report.
“I’m not allowed under Florida law to comment on the report, so I can’t say if it’s true or not. But if it is indeed true, it shows a couple things. First, it shows that there was no probable cause found that anybody did anything wrong,” Uthmeier said.
The funds were allegedly used to campaign against the legalization of marijuana through Amendment 3 and were also directed to the Florida Republican Party.
The grand jury identified the speed at which the money changed hands as a red flag.
According to the report, the transfer of settlement funds to Hope Florida occurred within seven days. Jurors believed the urgency was tied to the election being just 45 days away.
That timeline was also confirmed by testimony from Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Jason Weida, although he said he did not know why that timeframe was chosen.
While the grand jury found evidence of misappropriation of funds, it determined there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.
The panel recommended that Florida lawmakers consider legislation to prevent a similar situation in the future.
Jurors also found that several officials who approved the original settlement failed to fully vet the agreement before signing it.
The four signatures belonged to Chief Deputy Attorney General John Guard, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Jason Weida, Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky, and Florida Department of Health Chief of Staff Cassandra Pasley.
According to the report, all four raised concerns about the settlement at various points but ultimately signed off on it.
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