New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted in a historic federal case, accused of engaging in a decade-long corruption scheme that allegedly involved taking bribes, enjoying luxury international travel, and fraudulently obtaining millions in campaign funds. The five-count indictment, unsealed by Manhattan prosecutors, marks the first time a sitting NYC mayor has faced such charges and could expose Adams to significant prison time if convicted.
The 57-page indictment details the mayor's alleged acceptance of over $123,000 in luxury perks, including first-class flights and stays in five-star hotels, all of which went undisclosed. The document also claims Adams, who was Brooklyn Borough President before his election as mayor, fraudulently acquired $10 million in public campaign funds through the city's matching funds program, a scheme allegedly orchestrated by leveraging straw donors and falsifying documents.
According to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, Adams' corruption involved foreign nationals, including Turkish businesspeople and officials, who provided these illegal benefits in exchange for political favors. "This was a multi-year scheme to buy favor with a politician on the rise: Eric Adams," Williams said at a press conference.
Adams allegedly received gifts from Turkish officials, including first-class flights to various international destinations, as well as luxury accommodations. In one instance, Adams reportedly paid just $600 for a two-night stay at the St. Regis hotel in Istanbul, a stay that should have cost $7,000. The indictment accuses him of creating fake paper trails to conceal the true nature of the benefits he received, falsely suggesting he had paid for the travel expenses himself.
Year after year, Adams allegedly accepted tens of thousands of dollars in free travel, including trips to destinations such as India, France, China, and Ghana. Despite warnings from New York City fire safety officials, Adams is also accused of pushing through approvals for a Turkish Consulate building in Manhattan, after which he solicited more perks from Turkish business leaders.
In exchange for these gifts, Adams is said to have exerted influence on city officials to waive safety inspections and accelerate construction approvals. The indictment claims Adams continued this behavior through his 2021 mayoral campaign, which received significant financial backing from these foreign nationals.
"Adams knowingly and repeatedly relied on illegal contributions," the indictment states, suggesting that his campaign received substantial sums from foreign sources funneled through straw donors. These illegal donations were used to trigger the city's matching funds program, allowing Adams' campaign to amass over $10 million in public funds.
The charges against Adams include conspiracy, wire fraud, solicitation of contributions by a foreign national, and bribery. If convicted, Adams could face up to 45 years in prison. In response to the indictment, Adams has maintained his innocence, addressing the media outside Gracie Mansion shortly after the charges were made public. "It's an unfortunate day. And it's a painful day. But I look forward to defending myself," Adams said. "My attorneys will handle this case so I can focus on running the city."
Adams' attorney, Alex Spiro, criticized the federal investigation, referring to it as a "spectacle." He noted that federal agents arrived at Gracie Mansion early Thursday to seize one of Adams' phones, despite the mayor's willingness to cooperate. "They send a dozen agents to pick up a phone when we would have happily turned it in," Spiro said, insisting that Adams had not been arrested and emphasizing that his client looks forward to his day in court.
The indictment is the culmination of months of federal investigations, including raids on the homes of Adams' top aides and close allies. These raids sought evidence of kickbacks and illegal campaign contributions, much of which allegedly came from Turkish officials and business leaders. Several of Adams' confidants were not directly charged in the indictment but were mentioned throughout, raising the possibility of further developments in the case.
Despite calls from some city officials for Adams to resign, the mayor has vowed to continue his duties while fighting the charges. "My day-to-day will not change," he declared at the press conference, asking New Yorkers to withhold judgment until his defense is heard.
