Eric Adams charged with accepting bribes and illegal foreign campaign contributions
Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, faces charges of accepting bribes and illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources after an indictment was filed against the controversial leader of one of the world’s biggest cities.
In a five-count criminal indictment, US prosecutors allege that before and during his terms as mayor Adams “sought and accepted improper valuable benefits, such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him”.
The criminal counts against Adam include conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals, wire fraud and solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national.
The complaint focuses on trips Adams and his partner took to Turkey, India and Ghana on Turkish airlines, sometimes staying in luxury hotels, that as an elected official, should have been disclosed to the government and campaign contributions made by Turkish officials through a system of “straw” donors.
Adams “did not disclose the travel benefits he had obtained in annual financial disclosures he was required to file as a New York City employee,” the government alleges. “Sometimes, Adams agreed to pay a nominal fee to create the appearance of having paid for travel that was in fact heavily discounted.”
Prosecutors allege that Adams “created and instructed others to create fake paper trails, falsely suggesting that he had paid, planned to pay, for travel benefits that were free, deleted messages with others involved in his misconduct”.
In September 2021, two months before he was elected New York mayor, prosecutors allege, Turkish officials called in their debt, telling Adams “it was his tum to repay the Turkish Official, by pressuring the New York City Fire Department (‘FDNY) to facilitate the opening of a new Turkish consular building-a 36-story skyscraper without a fire inspection in time for a high-profile visit by Turkey’s president”.
The indictment notes that at the time, the 46-story building close to the UN would have failed an FDNY inspection. “In exchange for free travel and other travel related bribes in 2021 and 2022 arranged by the Turkish Official, Adams did as instructed,” the indictment says.
The moment is a deep crisis for the former cop, who was elected with a tough on crime agenda but who has courted controversy throughout his political career and has been a polarizing figure on the left.
Adams is the first sitting New York City mayor to be criminally charged.
When the news broke of the indictment late on Wednesday night, Adams released a defiant video statement. “I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target – and a target I became,” Adams said. “If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
He also vowed to stay in office.
“I have been facing these lies for months ... yet the city has continued to improve,” Adams said. “Make no mistake. You elected me to lead this city and lead it I will.”
The indictment followed months of scrutiny after some of his closest aides and allies came under federal investigation as prosecutors began examining his inner circle. Less than a month ago federal agents raided the homes of high-ranking officials within Adams’ administration and seized electronic devices from the home of the New York police department commissioner.
More details soon …