New York mayor charged with taking bribes from foreign sources

New York: New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on Thursday on charges that he took illegal campaign contributions and bribes from foreign nationals in exchange for favours that included helping Turkish officials get fire safety approvals for a new diplomatic building in the city.

Adams, a former police officer, faces conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery charges in a five-count indictment that describes a decade-long trail of alleged crimes.

New York Mayor Eric Adams.Credit: afr

The US attorney’s office in Manhattan alleges in the indictment that Adams “compounded his gains” from the illegal contributions by gaming the city’s matching funds program, which provides a generous match for small dollar donations. His campaign received more than $US10,000 ($14,540) in matching funds as a result of the false certifications, according to the indictment.

Adams allegedly “solicited and demanded” bribes, including free and heavily discounted luxury travel benefits from a Turkish official, the indictment alleges, noting that the official was seeking Adams’ help pertaining to regulations of the Turkish consulate in Manhattan.

FBI agents entered the mayor’s official residence and seized his phone early on Thursday, hours before the indictment was confirmed publicly.

“Federal agents appeared this morning at Gracie Mansion in an effort to create a spectacle again and take Mayor Adams’ phone again,” Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, said in a statement hours before the indictment was made public. “They send a dozen agents to pick up a phone when we would have happily turned it in.”

New York Mayor Eric Adams participates in the Turkish flag raising ceremony in New York in 2022. Credit: AP

In a video speech released on Wednesday night, Adams vowed to fight any charges against him, claiming he had been made a “target” in a case “based on lies.”

“I will fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit,” he said.

The indictment caps off an extraordinary few weeks in New York City, as federal investigators have honed in on members of Adams’ inner circle, producing a drum-beat of raids, subpoenas and high-level resignations that have thrust City Hall into crisis.

The US attorney’s office in Manhattan has declined to comment on the investigation prior to holding a news conference. An FBI spokesperson declined to comment. A spokesperson for the mayor did not immediately respond to questions on Thursday morning.

Federal prosecutors are believed to be leading multiple, separate inquiries involving Adams and his senior aides, relatives of those aides, campaign fundraising and possible influence peddling of the police and fire departments.

In the last two weeks alone, the city’s police commissioner and head of the school’s system have announced their resignations.

FBI agents had seized Adams’ electronic devices nearly a year ago as part of an investigation focused, at least partly, on campaign contributions and Adams’ interactions with the Turkish government. Because the charges were sealed, it was unknown whether they dealt with those same matters.

In early September, federal investigators seized devices from his police commissioner, schools chancellor, two deputy mayors and other trusted confidants both in and out of City Hall.

All have denied wrongdoing.

Adams vowed as recently as Wednesday afternoon to stay in office.

He is the first mayor in New York City history to be indicted while in office. If he were to resign, he would be replaced by the city’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, who would then schedule a special election.

Governor Kathy Hochul has the power to remove Adams from office. Her spokesperson, Avi Small, issued a statement late om Wednesday that said: “Governor Hochul is aware of these concerning news reports and is monitoring the situation. It would be premature to comment further until the matter is confirmed by law enforcement.”

Adams spent 22 years in New York City’s police department before going into politics, first as a state senator and then as Brooklyn borough president, a largely ceremonial position.

He was elected mayor in 2021, defeating a diverse field of Democrats in the primary and then easily beating Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, a Republican, in the general election.

After more than two years in office, Adams’ popularity has declined. While the city has seen an increase in jobs and a drop in certain categories of crime, the administration has been preoccupied with efforts to find housing for tens of thousands of international migrants who overwhelmed the city’s homeless shelters.

AP

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.