Mayor Eric Adams, who took office nearly three years ago pledging to tackle crime and punish wrongdoers across the five boroughs, has become the first New York City mayor in modern history to be indicted for alleged crimes of his own.
Federal prosecutors accused Adams of violating campaign finance laws by “providing favorable treatment in exchange for the illicit benefits he received” from foreign nationals, according to an indictment unsealed on Thursday morning. The charging document describes how Adams allegedly accepted bribes, like free travel, and solicited straw donations concealing the true source of the money contributed to his campaign. He was then able to multiply some of those contributions with public matching funds paid for by taxpayers.
The historic charges are the culmination of an investigation into foreign influence in Adams’ campaign fundraising during his successful 2021 mayoral bid. Prosecutors alleged the campaign “sought and accepted” straw donations from foreign governments, including Turkey. In exchange, Adams allegedly did favors for those governments. The charges against him included wire fraud and bribery.
The first hints of the investigation’s breadth emerged last November, when federal agents raided the Brooklyn home of Adams’ top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, and a handful of businesspeople with links to the Turkish government, including a Turkish Airlines executive and a Brooklyn-based construction company. Investigators also targeted City Hall aide Rana Abbasova, who served as Adams’ liaison to the Turkish community. Adams visited Turkey on at least six occasions dating back to his tenure as a state senator representing parts of central Brooklyn.
The raids followed accusations that Adams contacted high-ranking fire officials, including then-FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro, to fast-track safety inspections at a brand new Turkish consulate building in Midtown in 2021. Adams had not yet been elected mayor at that time.
Fire officials involved in the hasty reviews also described a list of projects owned by wealthy businesspeople or politically influential developers who also received priority treatment, as Gothamist previously reported.
Adams has remained defiant and said he has no plans to step down, even after federal agents seized his phone for the second time in less than a year early Thursday morning. He signaled that he will argue that federal agents have improperly leaked details of the case to the press.
“It is now my belief that the federal government intends to charge me with crimes,” Adams said in a short video issued late Wednesday. “If so, these charges will be entirely false, based on lies.
Adams also denounced the federal government’s response to the city’s migrant crisis.
“I always knew that if I stood my ground for all of you, I would become a target. And a target I became,” he said. “Despite our pleas, when the federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter system with no relief, I put the people of New York before party and politics.”
Politicians across the ideological spectrum called for Adams’ resignation, representing a stunning fall from grace for a mayor who characterized himself as the “face of the new Democratic Party” after his victory in the June 2021 primary. Prominent Democrats and political observers had shared that view, hailing Adams as moderate, working-class leader.
Adams, a former NYPD officer, pledged to get tough on crime amid a post-pandemic spike in felony offenses by reinstating a controversial police unit tasked with cracking down on low-level street crimes and deploying additional cops into the subway system. At the same time, he prioritized quality of life issues, like driving homeless New Yorkers off the streets and out of the transit system.
The self-described “nightlife mayor” has also framed himself as the Big Apple’s biggest booster. He’s frequented Bronx bars, downtown members-only clubs, and VIP parties with celebrities and influencers, and has touted his ability to keep “grinding” after a night on the town.
“People are afraid to go back out to restaurants; now they see our mayor going out saying ‘come back out to our city,” he told CNN in 2022. “It’s a 24-hour city.”
Federal prosecutors have reportedly zeroed in on some of the perks Adams received while in office, including first-class upgrades on Turkish Airlines flights.
Spokespeople for the FBI and the Southern District of New York declined to comment on the indictment. A press conference about the charges was expected before noon on Thursday.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who’s prosecuting Adams, has a record of prosecuting high-profile public corruption cases.
He recently secured a bribery conviction against New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, who was also accused of helping a foreign government in exchange for bribes. As an assistant U.S. attorney, Williams prosecuted state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s second trial, which ended with a guilty verdict.
Williams’ office is also prosecuting former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin on bribery charges.
The case against Adams in the Southern District is just one of several corruption probes his administration is facing.
Federal authorities are investigating alleged kickback and bribery schemes involving top police officials, as well as the influence-peddling by Winnie Greco, a top aide and liaison to the Chinese community.
Earlier this month, federal agents also raided the homes of Adams’ First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and her partner, Schools Chancellor David Banks, and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, who is David Banks’ brother.
Days after the raid, David Banks announced plans to resign as head of the city’s schools system. He said the decision had nothing to do with the investigation or the seizure of his phones.
Samantha Max contributed reporting/Courtesy by The Gothamist
