New York Mayor Eric Adams has been charged conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery, in what federal prosecutors say was a conspiracy to seek and accept illegal campaign contributions.
A federal indictment, unsealed this morning, charges Adams with five counts, related to
“By smuggling their contributions to Adams through U.S.-based straw donors, Adams’ overseas contributors defeated federal laws that serve to prevent foreign influence on U.S. elections,” the indictment stated.
“Wealthy individuals evaded laws designed to limit their power over elected officials by restricting the amount any one person can donate to a candidate. And businesses circumvented New York City’s ban on corporate contributions by funneling their donations through multiple employees, frustrating a law that seeks to reduce corporate power in politics. Adams increased his fundraising by accepting these concealed, illegal donations-at the cost of giving his secret patrons the undue influence over him that the law tries to prevent.”
Adams has denied the allegations, and in a message on social media on Wednesday night, he called the pending charges “entirely false based on lies.” He has resisted calls to resign and said that he will fight the allegations. He also held a press conference this morning, which was interrupted by a heckler.
ABC News reported this morning that federal agents seized the mayor’s phone.
The mayor was charged by a grand jury of five counts, including two counts of solicitation of a contribution from a foreign national, one count of bribery, one count of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals.
The indictment singles out a senior official in the Turkish diplomatic establishment who “facilitated” many of the straw donations to Adams. It also claims that Adams and his companions received free and discounted travel on Turkey’s national airline, along with “free rooms at opulent hotels, free meals at high-end restaurants, and free luxurious entertainment” during their visit to the country.
The indictment claims that the Turkish official told Adams in September, 2021, “that it was his time to repay,” by pressuring the New York Fire Department to give the all clear to a new New York consular building in time for a high profile visit by Turkey’s president.
“At the time, the building would have failed an FDNY inspection,” the indictment claims. “In exchange for free travel and other travel related bribes in 2021 and 2022 arranged by the Turkish Official, Adams did as instructed. Because of Adams’ pressure on the FDNY, the FDNY official responsible for the FDNY’s assessment of the skyscraper’s fire safety was told that he would lose his job if he failed to acquiesce, and, after Adams intervened, the skyscraper opened as requested by the Turkish Official.”
More to come.
