New York City Mayor Eric Adams faces five federal charges, including wire fraud, bribery, and soliciting contributions from a foreign national, according to a detailed 57-page federal indictment that was made public on Thursday.
Prosecutors from the Southern District of New York allege that Adams spent nearly a decade accepting luxury international trips from a wealthy businessman and at least one Turkish government official.
Back in 2017, while serving as Brooklyn Borough President, Adams stayed at the St. Regis Istanbul at a significant discount, the indictment reveals. The stay was arranged by a businesswoman who, according to the document, aimed “to ingratiate herself with Adams.”
Although the cost of the Bentley Suite for two nights was roughly $7,000, Adams reportedly paid less than $600. Furthermore, he failed to disclose the trip as required by law for elected officials.
“As Adams’ prominence and power grew, his foreign-national benefactors sought to cash in on their corrupt relationships with him, particularly when, in 2021, it became clear that Adams would become New York City’s mayor,” the indictment states. “Adams agreed, providing favorable treatment in exchange for the illicit benefits he received.”
This indictment was unveiled just hours after Adams, already facing mounting scrutiny, vowed to “fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit,” even as more political leaders joined the call for his resignation.
While Adams has continually asserted his innocence, he has not yet directly responded to these specific charges. On Thursday morning, FBI agents executed a search at Gracie Mansion, seizing his phone, according to his attorney.
The release of this criminal case adds to the already significant instability within Adams’ administration. In just the last two weeks, the city’s police commissioner, top lawyer, and schools chancellor have all announced their departures.
For months, Adams has been under fire as his administration became the target of four separate federal investigations.
On Wednesday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., became the most prominent figure to publicly demand Adams’ resignation, followed by others, including city comptroller Brad Lander and state Sen. John Liu, D-Queens.
However, New York’s most influential politicians—Sen. Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries; and Gov. Kathy Hochul—have not yet joined the chorus calling for Adams to step down.
Early Thursday, a spokesperson for Gov. Hochul, who holds the authority to remove Adams from office, referred to the media reports as “concerning” but refrained from further comment, pending confirmation from law enforcement.
Last November, FBI agents confiscated phones and an iPad belonging to Adams in connection with an ongoing investigation into his campaign fundraising. The probe is partly focused on whether Adams’ campaign conspired with Turkish officials to obtain illegal foreign donations.
Earlier this month, federal agents working on a separate investigation raided homes and seized phones from several top Adams associates. One of those affected was Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who resigned on Sept. 12 following the seizure of his phone.
Authorities also confiscated the phone of Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former police officer now running a nightclub security company. Federal investigators are examining whether bars in midtown Manhattan and Queens paid James Caban to act as a liaison with the police, granting those venues special treatment by local precincts, sources say.
The Adams administration is also under investigation for public corruption, with yet another federal inquiry leading to a search of homes tied to his former director of Asian affairs.
Despite the mounting legal pressures, Adams has repeatedly insisted that his administration is fully cooperating with investigators and that his primary focus remains on his duties as mayor.
In a video statement released late Wednesday, Adams stood firm, asserting that any accusations against him would be “entirely false, based on lies.”
“Make no mistake,” Adams declared, “you elected me to lead this city and lead it I will.”
{Matzav.com}