New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been charged with bribery and illegally soliciting campaign contributions from a foreign national, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Thursday. This follows a lengthy investigation that has thrown the city’s government into disarray.
Adams faces a total of five criminal charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors allege that he sought and accepted various benefits, including luxury travel, from wealthy foreign businesspeople and a Turkish government official looking to influence him.
Earlier on Thursday, federal agents searched Adams’ residence at Gracie Mansion on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. A black SUV marked “Federal Law Enforcement” was seen parked outside, with numerous individuals in business attire entering the mansion carrying briefcases and duffel bags.
Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, criticized the authorities for creating a “spectacle” and confirmed that the mayor’s phone had been confiscated. Spiro added that Adams “looks forward to his day in court.”
As the first sitting mayor of New York City to face criminal charges, Adams, a Democrat, stated in a video message on Wednesday that he anticipated being charged and asserted that the allegations were “entirely false, based on lies.” He vowed to remain in office while contesting the charges, despite calls from other Democratic officials for his resignation. “If I’m charged, I know I’m innocent. I will request an immediate trial so New Yorkers can hear the truth,” he said.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, has the authority to remove Adams from office, although the process is complex, according to Bennett Gershman, a professor at Pace University Law School in Manhattan.
The case complicates Adams’ prospects for re-election in 2025, as other Democratic figures, including City Comptroller Brad Lander, are poised to challenge him for the party’s nomination.
Before the indictment news broke, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the first member of Congress to call for his resignation, stating it would be “for the good of the city.”
The Times reported that federal authorities were investigating the possible acceptance of illegal donations by Adams’ 2021 campaign, including funds from the Turkish government. The inquiry, led by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan, also focused on whether Adams’ campaign collaborated with a Brooklyn construction company to illegally funnel foreign money through a straw-donor scheme.
Investigators have sought information about Adams’ interactions with countries such as Israel, China, Qatar, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.
At 64, Adams, a former police officer who rose to the rank of captain, has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claims to be cooperating with the investigation.
New York has faced significant political turmoil recently. Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned on September 12, shortly after FBI agents seized his phone. This was followed by the resignation of Adams’ chief legal adviser, who stated she could “no longer effectively serve” in her role. Additionally, the city’s public schools chancellor, David Banks, announced he would retire at the end of the year, shortly after federal agents reportedly seized his phones.
