Broward County Tax Collector Abiodun “Abbey” Ajayi has agreed to pay a $4,000 fine to settle an Inspector General’s complaint that she misused the resources of her previous county job while campaigning two years ago.
At the time of the alleged misconduct, Ajayi was operations manager of the County’s Records, Taxes and Treasury Division, forbidden from using her office or promoting her campaign during working hours.
According to an Inspector General’s report last year, Ajayi violated policy by appearing in a podcast as a candidate from her office during a weekday afternoon when she should have been on the job. She also admitted using her county email address on campaign business.
The inspector general filed ethics charges against Ajayi in February, seeking a $10,000 fine. The $4,000 agreement settles the case, the Inspector General’s Office said Tuesday.
Ajayi is the first person to hold the Tax Collector’s Office, a newly created electoral position. Before 2024, she had never run for public office. In February, her lawyer said the misconduct was unintentional and that Ajayi was juggling two full-time jobs, as a county employee and as a candidate.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. Follow him on Twitter (X) at Twitter.com/OlmedaNews.