New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a federal grand jury as part of a broad corruption investigation, according to a report from the New York Times. Adams, a Democrat, has denied the charges and alleged that the Biden Administration is targeting him due to his outspoken stance on the immigration crisis.
This historic indictment made Adams the first sitting New York City mayor to face such charges. The indictment is expected to be officially unsealed on Thursday by U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, as reported by the New York Post. Sources indicate that Adams is expected to surrender to federal authorities sometime next week. “I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target — and a target I became,” Adams, a Democrat, claimed in a statement The Post. “If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
Following the announcement of the indictment, police have established a perimeter around Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s residence, and reporters are being kept at a distance. While specifics about the indictment are still emerging, it is widely believed that the federal investigation is centered on allegations that the Turkish government unlawfully funneled funds to Adams’ mayoral campaign. It remains unclear if the indictment is connected to recent raids that targeted senior aides to Adams and several other New York City officials earlier this month.
Federal prosecutors had previously requested that City Hall officials provide all communications between the Adams Administration and the Turkish government, as well as with officials from Israel, Qatar, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and China. The Adams administration was already reeling from multiple high-level resignations and at least four federal investigations. Adams, 64, a former NYPD captain and Brooklyn borough president, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, CNBC added.
Federal investigators are also examining whether Adams exerted pressure on the city’s fire commissioner to approve a new building for the Turkish Consulate despite existing safety concerns. While still serving as Brooklyn’s borough president, Adams reportedly contacted then-Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro shortly after winning the Democratic mayoral primary in 2021. Sources indicate that Adams urged Nigro to review a request from the Turkish government to use a building that had not yet opened due to fire department concerns about its safety.
As part of the investigation, Adams’ phones were seized, and FBI agents have interviewed former Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro at least twice as a witness, according to sources cited by NBC News. This month, federal investigators also conducted searches at homes and seized phones from several high-ranking officials close to Adams. Notably, Police Commissioner Edward Caban, whose phone was among those seized, resigned on September 12, CNBC noted further.
Authorities have also seized the phone of James Caban, the twin brother of former Police Commissioner Edward Caban. James, a former police officer who now runs a nightclub security business, is under scrutiny for potentially acting as a police liaison for bars and clubs in midtown Manhattan and Queens. Federal investigators are examining whether these establishments paid James Caban for special treatment from local precincts.
In addition to these developments, the Adams administration is contending with a public corruption investigation and another federal probe, which recently involved searches of homes belonging to Adams’ former director of Asian affairs.
