DeSantis administration diverted $10 million meant to help poor children, Florida grand jury finds

A Florida grand jury has concluded that Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration misappropriated $10 million in taxpayer funds originally earmarked to help poor children obtain health insurance. The money, derived from a state Medicaid settlement, was instead redirected through Hope Florida—a charity founded in 2021 by First Lady Casey DeSantis—and ultimately flowed to political action committees that campaigned against a 2024 marijuana legalization ballot measure.

The Leon County grand jury completed its investigation in January 2026 but declined to file criminal charges, determining there was insufficient evidence to establish individual criminal liability. The report noted that "no one would take responsibility for sending the money to the charity or had any memory of who did," creating a prosecutorial barrier despite the grand jury's finding of misappropriation. Hope Florida is nominally designed to help financially struggling families connect with churches and community organizations to reduce reliance on public assistance programs.

DeSantis responded to the grand jury's findings on Thursday by neither disputing the report's legitimacy nor conceding wrongdoing, asserting instead that no laws were violated. He indicated that steps would be taken against whoever leaked the sealed grand jury documents to CBS News Miami. The marijuana ballot measure that received the diverted funds in opposition fell just short of the 60% supermajority threshold required under Florida law to become law.

The findings have reignited political controversy surrounding the DeSantis administration's fiscal practices. David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for governor running against Republican Byron Donalds in November, has called for the grand jury investigation to be reopened. DeSantis is barred from seeking a third gubernatorial term under Florida law.