ORLANDO, Fla. - Worrell and her staff are examining documents and interviewing witnesses to find out whether misappropriated Medicaid funds were spent in Central Florida and if doing so constituted criminal activity.
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“As in any case, if I find criminal wrongdoing that I can prove beyond a reasonable doubt, I will file charges,” Worrell said in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel. “And if I cannot, I won’t.”
Worrell said in late August she was “willing” to look into the issue, but revealed this week in an extensive interview with the Orlando Sentinel that her effort is well underway.
“We have a leaked report that says funds were misappropriated, then we have a conclusion that no one would be prosecuted because no one would claim responsibility,” Worrell said. “My office prosecutes people every single day that don’t take responsibility.”
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.
READ: Grand jury report details handling of $10 million tied to Hope Florida investigation
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. 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.
Despite these claims, the grand jury report concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to bring criminal charges against those involved because nobody claimed responsibility or could remember who decided to pursue the scheme.
There could be a combination of potential wrongdoing, Worrell said, much of which took place in Tallahassee. But what gives her leverage is the purchase of ads that aired in Orange and Osceola counties. “It’s not just that money was misappropriated, but where that misappropriated money was spent,” she said.
“This whole situation is very unique and challenging because people are going to be afraid to participate in the prosecution of an administration that doesn’t play by the rules,” Worrell said. ”Which judge is going to issue a warrant? Which friend of DeSantis will give him a heads up that this is happening?”
Worrell is aware that she may lose her job again over the investigation. Governor Ron DeSantis had her removed from office in 2023 for alleged incompetence and neglect of duty. Worrell won back her office in 2024, defeating former Orange County Judge Andrew Bain.
“Will I be removed from office again before I can finish?” Worrell asked. “At this point, a governor’s removal order could be seen as an obstruction of justice.”
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