NYC Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted as part of a federal investigation, insiders revealed to The Post, while the embattled mayor maintains that he is being unfairly targeted by the federal government due to his outspoken stance on the city’s migrant situation.
The groundbreaking indictment, which marks the first for a sitting New York City mayor, is anticipated to be made public on Thursday by US Attorney Damian Williams, sources reported. The Times was the first to break the story.
Sources added that Adams is expected to turn himself in to authorities early next week.
In a statement provided to The NY Post, Adams asserted, “I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target — and a target I became.”
“If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
Later, Adams released a video statement doubling down on his refusal to resign and vowing to “fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
He went on to say, “I will request an immediate trial so that New Yorkers can hear the truth. New Yorkers know my story. They know where I come from. I have been fighting injustice my entire life.”
“That fight has continued as your mayor. Despite our police, 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.”
The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, responsible for the prosecution, declined to issue a comment on the matter.
Sources close to Adams shared late Wednesday that the mayor had not yet been informed of the impending charges.
Following the indictment news, police set up barricades around Gracie Mansion, where Adams resides, and restricted reporters from approaching the property.
While the specific allegations remain vague, they reportedly involve accusations that the Turkish government illegally funneled money into Adams’ campaign in exchange for approval of the Turkish consulate in Manhattan, according to sources.
It is also unclear how these charges are linked to a series of September 4 raids targeting prominent Adams administration members, which triggered weeks of turmoil at City Hall, with rumors swirling of investigations into corruption within the mayor’s inner circle.
By Wednesday morning, rumors that a “senior” City Hall official would soon face charges caused widespread panic among the staff, according to insiders.
The formal indictment follows federal prosecutors’ recent demands for City Hall to hand over all communications between the Adams administration and Turkey, along with several other foreign nations, as part of the ongoing investigation.
Sources indicated that Adams’ 2021 campaign had already been subpoenaed for information concerning its donors, particularly those connected to Turkey.
In July, additional subpoenas were issued, seeking details on interactions between administration officials and foreign countries such as Israel, China, Qatar, South Korea, and Uzbekistan, sources said.
That same month, grand jury subpoenas were issued to Adams, City Hall, and his campaign committee, allowing federal agents to obtain text messages, documents, and other materials.
Since the investigation first made headlines in November with a dramatic FBI raid on top Adams fundraiser Brianna Suggs’ Brooklyn residence, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has remained tight-lipped.
The raid was intended to gather evidence of potential illegal donations by the Turkish government and a Brooklyn construction firm, KSK Construction Group, to Adams’ mayoral campaign. The investigation led Adams to abruptly cut short a high-profile meeting at the White House regarding the migrant crisis.
Subsequent raids targeted the homes of City Hall employee Rana Abbasova and Cenk Ocal, a former Turkish Airlines executive who was part of Adams’ transition team.
A week later, the FBI seized Adams’ personal phones and iPad while he was out in Manhattan.
Another staffer, Winnie Greco, had her Bronx home raided by federal agents in February, though it remains unclear if it was connected to the Turkey investigation.
Throughout, Adams has consistently denied any misconduct.
In August, when asked about the investigation into his campaign, Adams remarked, “It takes a great deal of discipline to not say something when you know you’ve done nothing wrong.”
This marks the first time in 170 years that a New York City mayor has faced criminal charges, according to historical records compiled by THE CITY.
While several past mayors, from David Dinkins to Bill de Blasio, have been subject to corruption inquiries, none of these probes resulted in charges against the mayors themselves, with lower-level aides occasionally facing charges instead.
Notably, former Mayor Jimmy Walker stepped down in 1932 amid an investigation, but he was never formally charged.
This explosive indictment comes as City Hall and other New York officials are also grappling with a wave of federal probes, many linked to Adams’ closest advisors, political allies, and top aides.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are leading several of these investigations, but, much like the mayoral campaign probe, they have remained silent about the specific charges or how the various investigations might intersect.
So far, no one has been officially charged or accused of wrongdoing in these related probes.
{Matzav.com}