New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by federal authorities on charges that he received illegal donations and benefits from Turkish government officials and Turkish businessmen, and gave them preferential treatment in return.
The indictment comes after a months-long investigation by federal prosecutors, who accused Adams’ current and former colleagues, including School Principal David Banks and Police Chief Edward Caban, who recently resigned after his cellphone was seized. Many of them are also being investigated. Others close to Mr. Adams, including a former building authority director and a former police inspector, have similarly faced scandals and accusations.
In a video statement Wednesday, Adams denied breaking any laws and said, “I am innocent. I will fight this with all my strength and soul.”
Adams’ indictment, released Thursday, includes five federal corruption charges. The charges make Adams the first sitting mayor of New York to be indicted, and are likely to have a major impact on the 2025 mayoral election in which he was expected to run.
Adams, who was first elected mayor in 2021, has previously served as Brooklyn borough president, state senator, and New York City police officer. As mayor, he has pushed aggressively to strengthen police and fight crime, and is also known for his bombastic comments about immigration and quirky catchphrases about governance. Now, his term as a public servant may be coming to an end.
Below is a summary of what we know about this indictment and its implications.
What are the charges against Eric Adams?
The charges center on Adams’ mayoral campaign. They allege that they knowingly accepted illegal donations and favors such as luxury airline tickets brokered by Turkish government officials as part of a quid pro quo relationship with Turkey. Together, they depict foreign government officials grooming prominent American politicians over the years. The prices are as follows:
Wire fraud, solicitation of foreign donations, conspiracy to accept bribes (1 count): Mr. Adams is accused of setting up an illegal system to accept foreign donations as part of his mayoral campaign, receiving multiple airline tickets and luxury travel benefits from Turkish government officials and Turkish businessmen, and receiving multiple airline tickets and luxury travel benefits from Turkish government officials and Turkish businessmen in New York City. He is accused of helping to bypass the consulate building. Instead, it meets regulatory requirements.
Wire fraud (1 case): Certain campaign contributions in New York City can be matched with public funds to encourage candidates to seek smaller contributions. According to the indictment, Mr. Adams fraudulently solicited matching funds for donations he knew were from “straw donors,” or donors used to raise funds from another source. It is said that He is accused of using straw donors in both his 2021 and 2025 campaigns, securing $10 million in public matching funds in this way.
Solicitation of donations by foreigners (2 cases): U.S. political candidates are prohibited from accepting donations from foreigners, but Mr. Adams has been accused of knowingly accepting money from Turkish citizens.
Bribe (1 case): The charges also relate to allegations that Mr. Adams traded certain travel benefits, such as expensive airline tickets, in order to ease the regulatory requirements facing the new Turkish consulate building. The building had not yet passed a fire safety inspection ahead of the Turkish president’s visit, and Mr Adams reportedly pressed fire department officials to get approval quickly. The benefits he received were said to be worth about $100,000.
Who else has been accused of corruption?
Nearly 20 people are involved in public investigations and lawsuits involving Adams and his allies, but not all of them have ties to corruption.
These investigations include an examination of the campaign’s ties to six different foreign countries, as well as allegations of extortion and bribery related to a consulting firm run by the brother of a senior Adams administration official. Adams and one of his advisers also face sexual misconduct allegations.
So far, two powerful people with ties to Adams have also been indicted.
- Former Adams Building Commissioner Eric Ulrich was charged with accepting $150,000 in bribes in exchange for favors such as approving building inspections.
- Former Deputy Inspector Dwayne Montgomery, who served on the force at the same time as Adams, pleaded guilty to arranging straw donors to donate thousands of dollars to Adams’ 2021 campaign.
Other officials have not yet been charged, including former Police Commissioner Kevan, Schools Superintendent Banks, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks, and First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, but their cellphones have been confiscated. Adams’ former chief fundraising officer Brianna Suggs, senior adviser Winnie Greco, interim police chief Thomas Donlon and on-leave aide Lana Abbasova were also searched.
Should Eric Adams resign? What would happen if Adams did not resign?
Adams does not need to resign because of the charges, experts told news outlet The City.
However, there are ways in which he could be forcibly removed. New York Gov. Cathy Hochul has the power to first suspend and then remove New York governors from office, but state officials have rarely used this power.
New York City officials could also create what is known as an “incompetence committee” and give a group of City Council members the power to vote on whether Mr. Adams is incapable of doing his job. If two-thirds agree with that assessment, he would have to leave his post.
If Adams resigns, City Council member Jumaane Williams will serve as mayor pro tem, and a special election to fill the position must be held within 80 days of Adams’ resignation.
Who asked Eric Adams to resign?
New York State Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is among the national lawmakers who have called on Adams to resign. She first did so ahead of his indictment in light of ongoing investigations into other members of his administration.
“Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to hire and maintain a competent administration,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “In the interest of the city, he should resign.”
Other members who joined the chorus include multiple New York City Council members like Tiffany Caban, Lincoln Ressler, and Chris Banks.
Who will run for mayor in 2025?
Adams was up for re-election next year, but widespread dissatisfaction with his term prompted several others to enter the race.
Prior to the indictment, the contest featured a packed crowd featuring current City Auditor Brad Lander, former City Auditor Scott Stringer, State Sen. Zellner Miley and State Sen. Jessica Ramos. It was supposed to be a contest.
Adams is also running for office and will not have to resign as a result of the charges. But before his recent legal troubles, he wasn’t a popular figure. And if he chooses to remain in office and remain in the race, he is likely to have a difficult campaign.
