Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has resigned from Congress following an investigation that found she committed more than 20 ethics violations, including breaking campaign finance laws.
Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of illegally funneling US disaster aid to her election campaign and spending the money on luxury purchases, including a $109,000 (£81,660) 3-carat yellow diamond ring.
The 46-year-old Democrat, who was elected to Congress in 2022, has maintained she is innocent and vowed to clear her name.
"Rather than play these political games, I choose to step away," she said in a social media post announcing her resignation and calling the congressional ethics investigation a "witch hunt".
Cherfilus-McCormick had faced the prospect of a rare vote in Congress to expel her after the House of Representatives' Ethics Committee released its findings.
