New York Mayor Eric Adams charged with bribery and foreign funding

Eric Adams, the mayor of New York, is the first elected official in the city to face criminal charges while in office after being charged with federal bribery, fraud, and campaign finance.

Adams is charged with corruption dating back ten years in a 57-page indictment that was released on Thursday. The accusation claims Adams was a willing agent of the Turkish government, exchanging influence for illicit campaign cash and luxurious flights across the globe.

For almost ten years, prosecutors from the Southern District of New York have accused the Democrat of seeking and accepting opulent international trips as payment for official favors from affluent foreign businessmen and at least one Turkish government official.

At a press conference, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated that Adams "abused his position as this city's highest elected official, and before that as Brooklyn borough president, to take bribes and solicit illegal campaign contributions."

Adams is charged in the indictment with embezzling $10 million from the city's public campaign financing program and accepting free trips worth $100,000 to France, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hungary, and Turkey.

"As Adams' prominence and power grew, his foreign-national benefactors sought to cash in on their corrupt relationships with him, particularly when, in 2021, it became clear that Adams would become New York City’s mayor," the indictment says. "Adams agreed, providing favorable treatment in exchange for the illicit benefits he received."

Prosecutors said that among the alleged favors was Adams' attempt, in September 2021, following his election as mayor, to exert pressure on the New York City Fire Department to approve the opening of a new Turkish embassy building in defiance of safety concerns.

The building would have failed an inspection, but the mayor threatened to fire an FDNY building safety inspector if he didn't comply with his requests. According to the accusation, the facility opened at the request of a Turkish official who had lavished Adams with gifts and travel privileges.

The indictment claims that Adams accepted illicit campaign contributions from overseas sources, including the Turkish government official, in addition to the complimentary travel and hotel accommodations.

Hours after the beleaguered mayor pledged to "fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit" and as more and more well-known politicians demanded his resignation, the indictment was made public.

“We are not surprised. We expected this," Adams said in a press conference shortly after the indictment was unsealed. "I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments."

He said the charges amounted to a "unfortunate" and "painful" day. "But in spite of all of that, it's a day that will finally reveal why for 10 months I have gone through this," he stated. "I look forward to defending myself and defending the people of this city."

According to Adams' attorney, the indictment was made public a few hours after FBI officials conducted a second search of his residence, Gracie Mansion, early on Thursday and took his phone.

A federal inquiry into public corruption and another that led to the search of the homes of Adams's former head of Asian affairs have also been directed toward the Adams administration.