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Scrutiny Intensifies Over $10M Settlement Transfer to Casey DeSantis' Charity

Florida officials defend the legality of directing settlement funds to the Hope Florida Foundation as lawmakers question transparency and compliance.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (L) and his wife Casey DeSantis wave as they depart the third Republican presidential primary debate at the Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, on November 8, 2023.
First Lady Casey DeSantis, accompanied by Gov. Ron DeSantis, explains a new partnership between Hope Florida and the Florida Sheriff's Association to help refer people seeking help to community support organizations during a press conference in Tallahassee on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (Facebook: Governor Ron DeSantis)

Overview

  • Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' administration allocated $10 million from a pre-suit settlement with the Agency for Health Care Administration to the Hope Florida Foundation, led by First Lady Casey DeSantis.
  • State officials argue that the funds were not subject to laws requiring settlement money to be deposited into state-controlled accounts, as the money was not 'paid to the state.'
  • The settlement details remain undisclosed, raising concerns about financial transparency and accountability, with the transaction absent from AHCA's online settlement database.
  • Lawmakers and staffers have raised questions about the foundation's compliance with oversight, ethics, and fundraising laws, highlighting broader transparency issues.
  • A proposed House bill seeks to codify the Hope Florida initiative into state law, potentially solidifying its role in welfare reform and elevating Casey DeSantis' political profile.