BISHOP BARBER DENIES
ALLEGATIONS BY FORMER
WIFE OF “MISUSE OF
NONPROFIT FUNDS”
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
A Raleigh television station last Friday was the first to report that Bishop William Barber, president of the nationally-known nonprofit social activism organization “Repairers of the Breach,” was accused “…of redirecting funds from his group for alimony payments and other personal uses” in post-divorce court documents filed in Durham County last week by his now former wife, Rebecca.
Through his attorney, Bishop Barber denies the allegation, and in a statement, the governing board of his Goldsboro-based organization called the allegation “baseless.”
Reportedly the couple formerly ended their marriage of nearly forty years last November, at which point, again per published reports, Bishop Barber remarried.
This allegation is the result, reportedly, of a failed effort last month through mediation for the former couple“…in an attempt to settle parts of the divorce, including alimony as well as how to split up their money and other marital property, a process called equitable distribution.”
Last Friday, WRAL-TV reported that according to those court filings, Rebecca Barber is alleging that Bishop Barber earns $225,000 in salary as head of the group, but that $7,000.00 per month “under the guise of alimony or financial support” has also been funneled to him.
She also alleges in this documents that “…millions of dollars in assets reported by the group ($8.3 million per the latest tax filings from 2023) should be fair game for her to take as part of the divorce”…because her former husband “…maintains de facto control over the financial accounts associated with Repairers of the Breach, Inc., thereby suggesting that Repairers of the Breach, Inc., is being used as an instrumentality of [William Barber’s] personal financial affairs. … Repairers of the Breach, Inc., is functionally an alter ego of [William Barber] and may possess or control assets that are marital in nature or otherwise relevant to this Court's equitable distribution determination.”
Rebecca Barber’s allegation adds that “…the group’s bank accounts have been so intermingled with hers and her ex-husband’s bank accounts that it needs to be considered as essentially a part of their marital property and therefore subject to being divvied up as part of their divorce.”
WRAL-TV added that “Rebecca Barber’s court filings don’t accuse William Barber or Repairers of the Breach of engaging in criminal conduct. But she says her claims “raise credible concerns regarding the misuse of nonprofit funds, improper financial disbursements, marital waste, and concealment of income.”
Bishop Barber’s attorney, Tamela Wallace, both interviewed with WRAL-TV and issued a statement:
“Reverend Barber categorically denies [the allegations],” Wallace said. “We believe the claims were filed for the sole purpose of gaining a tactical advantage in his pending property division litigation with his former spouse. We look forward to having these false allegations addressed in the proper forum, which is the court of law.”
The governing board of Repairers of the Breach issued a statement to WRAL-TV saying:
“The governing board of Repairers of the Breach is aware of baseless accusations against our organization in a civil property dispute between our president, William J. Barber II, and his former spouse. We have the greatest confidence in Rev. Barber and our organization. We trust the court to quickly resolve this issue and have no further comment.”
WRAL-TV reported that it attempted to contact Rebecca Barber’s attorney for comment, but was unsuccessful in that effort. But in her court filings, Ms. Barber’s attorney, who WRAL-TV did not identify, stated, “Fair and complete adjudication of the equitable distribution and spousal support issues in this matter cannot be achieved without examining and accounting for those assets,” Rebecca Barber wrote in a court filing.”
It was not generally, and certainly not publicly known that Bishop Barber, formally president of the North Carolina NAACP, and his wife, had divorced last November, and that he had remarried. Those close to the couple expressed consternation over the WRAL report. Given Bishop Barber’s current effort to oppose the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to social service federal funding which is currently pending in Congress, in addition to his continuing national movement for economic and racial justice, these allegations emanating from his divorce proceedings trouble many of his followers.
Bishop Barber is also co-convener of the national Poor People's Campaign.
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SBI PROBING POWERFUL
BLACK DURHAM
POLITICAL COMMITTEE
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Durham District Attorney Satana Deberry has asked the State Bureau of Investigation’s financial crimes unit to investigate allegations of fiscal embezzlement by past officer of the political action committee for the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People.
Former state Sen. Floyd McKissick, who took over as chairman of the committee last January, issued the following statement in response to the SBI probe: "We are optimistic that any person or persons that engaged in criminal wrongdoing will be held accountable, but we cannot discuss it any further because of an ongoing investigation, which we initiated, based upon the findings in a report prepared by a CPA."
Reportedly, that CPA was hired after “serious financial irregularities” were discovered last February after new officers took over leadership of the PAC.
Published reports indicate a review of PAC’s bank statements revealed that there was a good deal of unauthorized personal spending being conducted, “ranging from expenditures at the beauty supply store to numerous PayPals.”
There were also allegedly tens of thousands of dollars that “appeared” to be paid out to friends of the former Durham Committee’s PAC chairperson.
In addition, it’s been alleged that fiscal reports submitted to the North Carolina Board of Elections did not accurately reflect the spending that was done from the PAC’s bank account.
This was concerning because of two contributions equalling $75,000 from the North Carolina Democratic Party to the Durham Committee’s PAC to help pay for political action activity right before the 2024 November general election.
According to its website, the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People “…is a community-based organization founded in 1935. (DCABP Inc. (the 501(c)3 fiscal administrator and PAC of the Durham Committee established in 2014) works in cooperation with other public and private groups, to improve civic, cultural, economic, educational, health, housing, legal affairs, human rights and youth affairs conditions in this community.
Democratic candidates always seek the endorsement and influence of the Durham Committee at election time to ensure strong support of Durham’s black community.
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