Mayor Eric Adams at a campaign event in 2021 (Credit: Juan Manuel Benítez)
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is set to appear before a judge in Manhattan on Friday after being indicted on five federal corruption charges linked to his relationships with Turkish officials and business people.
Prosecutors allege that Adams accepted more than $100,000 in bribes and gifts over several years, including luxury trips and hotel stays, in exchange for political favors. Adams is also accused of receiving illegal contributions from foreign donors for his successful 2021 mayoral campaign, and of instructing aides to create fake paper trails.
The U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, claims that Adams received free flights to France, China and Turkey, where he stayed in luxury accommodations. In exchange, he pressured Fire Department officials to approve a Turkish high-rise before safety inspections were completed.
“In 2021, [a] Turkish government official was trying to open a brand-new high rise building in Manhattan that would house Turkey’s consulate,” Williams said. “There was significant time pressure because the Turkish official desperately needed the building to be open in time for a visit from Turkey’s president.”
Adams, the first New York City mayor to face criminal charges while in office, denied the allegations on Thursday, calling them a “conspiracy,” and vowed to remain in his position despite growing calls for his resignation.
“My attorneys will take care of the case so I can take care of the city. My day-to-day will not change,” Adams said at a news conference outside of Gracie Mansion shortly after the indictment was unsealed on Thursday morning.
He was joined by a group of Black clergy and civil-rights activists, including the Rev. Herbert Daughtry, 93, whom Adams has described in the past as his “spiritual mentor.”
“We are not about to give up,” Daughtry said. “We’ll be there to the end. God bless you. God, be with you. We’re going to win.”
Hazel Dukes, 92, president of the New York State chapter of the N.A.A.C.P., said “lawyers will go and do our work for us and we will stand with this man.”
Adams’ news conference was repeatedly interrupted by protestors asking him to step down.
This federal investigation and a few others have rattled Adams’ administration, with multiple high-ranking officials resigning in recent weeks, including Police Commissioner Edward Caban, Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg, Schools Chancellor David Banks, and Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan.
“Today’s indictment sends a powerful message to every elected official in this country,” said James Dennehy, the FBI assistant director of the New York Field Office. “Public service is a profound responsibility and should be a noble calling. When that’s perverted by greed and dishonesty, it robs us of our trust.”
If Adams resigns, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams would automatically replace him. Williams would then have 90 days to call a special election to select a new mayor.
“I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments,” Adams said.
The group of Democrats seeking to replace Adams include City Comptroller Brad Lander, Queens State Sen. Jessica Ramos and former City Comptroller Scott Stringer. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is also reported to be mulling a mayoral run.
About the author(s)
Callum Foote is a Stabile Investigative Fellow. He has previously reported on finance and politics in Australia.
Roman Broszkowski is a Stabile investigative student at Columbia Journalism School.
Jessica Shuran Yu is a Stabile investigative student at Columbia Journalism School.