POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Pompano Beach Commissioner Beverly Perkins is coming under fire following allegations she mishandled her 2020 reelection campaign funds, possibly committing a third-degree felony and first-degree misdemeanor.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found probable cause to forward the case to the Broward County State Attorney Office and Florida Division of Elections.

At issue are thousands in allegedly mishandled campaign funds, including $800 spent on a celebration for Perkins’ swearing-in ceremony at a local restaurant, and $7,381 that the OIG alleges was spent after the election on non-election related expenditures. Perkins also was accused of improper disbursements of surplus campaign funds.

“Commissioner Perkins and her treasurer engaged in numerous, various acts of campaign finance misconduct that were criminal in nature,” says the 53-page report released with 383 pages of attachments, “including willfully certifying as true campaign treasurer’s reports known to be incorrect, incomplete, or both.”

Perkins couldn’t be reached for comments. Her attorney, Larry Allen, told reporters the allegations are false and blamed the errors on poor bookkeeping. “Commissioner Perkins has not benefited financially in any way,” said Allen.

Perkins defeated Carmen Dixon, and Edward Phillips in the November 2020 election to hold on to her District 5 seat for another term. Her victory, and then-political novice Cyndy Floyd’s ousting of then Vice Mayor Barry Moss, had marked a first in the city’s history of two Black commissioners serving simultaneously. Floyd lost her seat in a 2022 election rematch against Moss, while Perkins won reelection.

According to Pompano Beach campaign finance reports, Perkins raised about $38,000 and spent $22,476 for 2020. The expenditures are under investigation.

The OIG cited a $9,500 check that was cashed and used to make cash payments, instead of through the campaign treasurer by a bank check, which is a state requirement. Much of that money was disbursed to campaign workers without worker-signed receipts, the report says.

Perkins told investigators other local candidates’ campaigns did it that way and were not subject to any scrutiny, according to the report. “She further stated that the workers wanted their money right away,” the report says.

The OIG also found the campaign never reported payments totaling $3,322.72 to New Creation Baptist Church of Christ after the final campaign report was filed and after the deadline to dispose of surplus funds.

Robert Holmes, who served as Perkins’ campaign treasurer, and also handles the Pompano Beach church’s finances, transferred the campaign money to the church, anticipating that he would decide what to do with it after the election. The money was still in the account 457 days later, the report says.

The Broward County State Attorney Office and the Florida Division of Elections will decide whether to file criminal charges against Perkins. Neither office provided comment because the issue is still under investigation.

One of Perkins’ supporters, Deirdre Wiggins, told Channel 10 News that Perkins is an honest person who wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her political career and good name.

“I just don’t believe that. I believe it’s mistaken,” Wiggins said. “She’s a wonderful person and great for our community. People are always going to find fault but I don’t find fault in her.”

Perkins has been a city commissioner since 2016. She previously was a longtime community activist working on the campaigns of the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, and E. Pat Larkins, who served 19 years as a city commissioner and seven terms as the city’s first Black mayor.

This year, Perkins was seen on video swearing at a Fort Lauderdale police officer who had pulled her over for a traffic infraction.

She later apologized at a commission meeting but several residents called for her resignation; others said she was targeted because she’s Black.