Mayor Ken Welch’s PAC Reports $200,000 Missing, Apparently Stolen

ST. PETERSBURG — A political committee supporting St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch reported more than $200,000 in missing funds, prompting plans to notify state and federal law enforcement and intensifying scrutiny of the mayor’s fundraising operation as the 2026 election cycle takes shape.

According to newly filed campaign finance reports examined by Florida Politics and the Tampa Bay Times, The Pelican Political Action Committee disclosed $207,500 in “unauthorized” expenditures made between August and October to O’Reilly Business LLC, a company registered to the committee’s former treasurer and registered agent, Yolanda Brown. Committee officials said the transactions were discovered during a review of financial records and that Brown was terminated immediately after the activity came to light.

Committee chair Adrienne Bogen said the PAC demanded repayment and received documentation purporting to show the funds were being returned, but the money has not been recovered. She said the committee is now in the process of contacting appropriate authorities. Attempts by multiple outlets to reach Brown have been unsuccessful, and her listed phone number has been disconnected.

Subsequent reporting by Florida Politics outlined prior legal and financial troubles involving Brown in other states and raised questions from Florida political operatives about similar issues affecting additional committees. Brown also served in the same role for Welch’s earlier political committee, which, as the Bugle reported, was shuttered by the state after repeated compliance failures.

The missing funds compound broader challenges for Welch’s political operation. The Pelican Political Action Committee raised $48,225 during the final quarter of 2025 and now, with $200,000 missing, reports roughly $31,000 cash on hand, far below sums posted by committees aligned with potential challengers. A committee associated with Welch’s strongest likely challenger, Charlie Crist, reported more than $725,000 raised since late October.

Welch has not yet filed paperwork to seek reelection and does not have direct control of The Pelican Political Action Committee.