Rep. Andrade stands firm in Hope Florida fraud allegations against AG Uthmeier

A Republican state representative who's accused Florida's top law enforcement officer of committing wire fraud and money laundering says that all he cares about is "the truth."

This all stems from allegations that the Hope Florida Foundation received $10 million from a $67 million Medicaid settlement between the state and health care company Centene.

According to reports, the foundation then made $5 million grants to Secure Florida's Future, a nonprofit tied to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and the nonprofit organization Save Our Society from Drugs.

The groups received the grants while making contributions to Keep Florida Clean, a political committee headed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who was Gov. Ron DeSantis' chief of staff at the time. Keep Florida Clean was formed to fight against the failed Amendment 3 ballot measure that would have legalized recreational marijuana.

The Hope Florida Foundation is a nonprofit organization separate from the Hope Florida state government program, according to its website.

The Hope Florida program was started by First Lady Casey DeSantis. Its mission is to provide help for Floridians by serving as a "connection point for community collaboration between the public and private sector, faith-based communities and nonprofits," according to its website.

ALSO READ: Rep. Andrade accuses Florida AG Uthmeier of money laundering, wire fraud amid Hope Florida probe

Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, started and finished a House investigation last year. He gave his findings to the State Attorney's Office in Tallahassee and to the FBI. Andrade accused Uthmeier of committing wire fraud and money laundering.

"This is a misuse of Medicaid dollars, a misuse of taxpayer dollars, I believe it’s money laundering and wire fraud," Andrade said to host "The Florida Roundup" host Tom Hudson last April.

Uthmeier and DeSantis have denied any wrongdoing.

"Hope Florida didn't do anything wrong. I'm proud of the work they do," Uthmeier said in a previous statement. "These other nonprofit organizations that have helped against the Amendment 3 effort. We should be thankful to them, to all of them."

Now, in February, Andrade is standing strong in his belief that a crime occurred.

Here's what to know.

What do you know about the Department of Justice investigation into Hope Florida?

A federal investigation began last year. Andrade said he spoke to the FBI about the file he gave, but hasn't heard much of anything since.

"I would never expect to hear anything official from the DOJ, the FBI, one way or the other," he said.

There's also the state grand jury in Leon County investigating the case. Andrade gave testimony last October, but that's been the extent of his involvement. No indictment has been released so far.

A news outlet, The Floridian, reported how an anonymous DOJ source said "no further action is anticipated" when it comes to the Hope Florida investigation. DeSantis reposted it on X, saying, "Another hoax bites the dust."

Andrade said he thought it odd that there's a single anonymous source in Washington, D.C., the outlet is relying on.

He added that whether people get prosecuted is not up to him.

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"I developed the facts. The facts remain that James Uthmeier, when he was the governor's chief of staff, he misappropriated, misdirected, misused, stole $10 million from Florida's Medicaid program, and he laundered it to his PAC," Andrade told Hudson. "All I care about is the truth. So whatever results happen, happen. Related to any kind of law enforcement activity, people get frustrated by our justice system every day."

Andrade compared this frustration with that of those upset regarding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's case.

"How many Republicans are right now talking about how much of an injustice it is that no one on the Epstein client list has been prosecuted," he said. "I think depending upon prosecution or the lack thereof as your metric of truth — rather than just looking at the facts — will do you disservice."

Have you gathered any more facts to support your accusation?

Andrade said he has.

He managed to get access to additional records that showed a meeting at the governor's office with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration on Sept. 10, 2024. He has copies of the settlement drafts, too.

ALSO READ: Inside the grand jury probe of the Hope Florida Foundation

He said they met with Uthmeier and others. Then, the next day, he said they revised the drafts for the settlement to send $10 million to Hope Florida.

"There was lots of references and promises made to Centene that this money would be used for Medicaid purpose, and then complete lack of anyone actually trying to use it for Medicaid purpose," Andrade said.

Uthmeier has recently called for you to be removed as the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee chairman. Have you been asked to step down?

Uthmeier has called for Andrade to be stripped of his chairmanship of the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, saying he's "aligned in representing Planned Parenthood." A spokesperson for the governor's office also said the same thing, adding that "no one should take this guy seriously."

"Ever since Amendments 3 and 4 failed (abortion rights and recreational marijuana amendments), Representative Andrade has filed legislation on behalf of big marijuana corporations and his law firm is defending Planned Parenthood," the governor's office spokesperson said.

Uthemeier said he hopes the Florida Speaker of the House will address Andrade and that his office will not cooperate with that subcommittee because of him.

Andrade said he has not been asked to step down from his role.

"But I am relieved to hear that James Uthmeier says he's going to avoid the health care budget this year. The last time he meddled with it, $10 million went missing," Andrade told Hudson.

The law firm Andrade practices at is the attorney of record for a lawsuit the state has filed against Planned Parenthood. Andrade said he's not part of it.

"I don't think Planned Parenthood would very much like me representing them giving my voting record and how outspoken I have been being pro life," he said. "But James Uthmeier has never been one to let the facts interfere with a good narrative."

This story was compiled from interviews conducted by Tom Hudson for "The Florida Roundup."