New York City Mayor Eric Adams Indicted on Federal Criminal Charges
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a grand jury on federal criminal charges, according to two people familiar with the matter. The indictment detailing the charges against Adams, a Democrat, was still sealed late Wednesday, according to the people, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan declined to comment. The indictment was first reported by The New York Times.
“I always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target — and a target I became,” Adams said in a statement that implied he hadn’t been informed of the indictment. “If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
It was not immediately clear when the charges would be made public or when Adams might have to appear in court.
The Fall of a Mayor
The indictment marks a stunning fall for Adams, a former police captain who won election nearly three years ago to become the second Black mayor of the nation's largest city on a platform that promised a law-and-order approach to reducing crime. For much of the last year, Adams has faced growing legal peril, with multiple federal investigations into top advisers producing a drumbeat of subpoenas, searches and high-level departures that has thrust City Hall into crisis.
He had repeatedly said he wasn't aware of any wrongdoing and vowed as recently as Wednesday afternoon to stay in office.
Adams is the first mayor in New York City history to be indicted while in office. If he were to resign, he would be replaced by the city's public advocate, Jumaane Williams, who would then schedule a special election. Gov. Kathy Hochul has the power to remove Adams from office. Hochul's office did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday night.
Calls for Resignation
Hours before the charges were announced, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called on Adams to resign, the first nationally prominent Democrat to do so. She cited the federal criminal investigations into the mayor's administration and a string of unexpected departures of top city officials.
“I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on the social platform X.
Adams reacted with scorn, dismissing Ocasio-Cortez as self-righteous.
A Series of Investigations
The federal investigations into Adams administration first emerged publicly on Nov. 2, 2023, when FBI agents conducted an early morning raid on the Brooklyn home of Adams' chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs. At the time, Adams insisted he followed the law and said he would be “shocked” if anyone on his campaign had acted illegally. “I cannot tell you how much I start the day with telling my team we've got to follow the law,” he told reporters at the time.
Days later, FBI agents seized the mayor's phones and iPad as he was leaving an event in Manhattan. The interaction was disclosed several days later by the mayor's attorney.
Then on Sept. 4, federal investigators seized electronic devices from the city's police commissioner, schools chancellor, deputy mayor of public safety, first deputy mayor and other trusted confidantes of Adams both in and out of City Hall.
Federal prosecutors declined to discuss the investigations but people familiar with elements of the cases described multiple, separate inquiries involving senior Adams aides, relatives of those aides, campaign fundraising and possible influence peddling of the police and fire departments.
High-Level Departures
A week after the searches, Police Commissioner Edward Caban announced his resignation, telling officers that he didn't want the investigations “to create a distraction.” About two weeks later, Schools Chancellor David Banks announced that he would retire at the end of the year.
Adams himself insisted he would keep doing the city's business and allow the investigations to run their course.
A Pattern of Accusations
Over the summer, federal prosecutors subpoenaed Adams, his campaign arm and City Hall, requesting information about the mayor's schedule, his overseas travel and potential connections to the Turkish government.
Adams spent 22 years in New York City's police department before going into politics, first as a state senator and then as Brooklyn borough president, a largely ceremonial position. He was elected mayor in 2021, defeating a diverse field of Democrats in the primary and then easily beating Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, a Republican, in the general election.
After more than two years in office, Adams' popularity has declined. While the city has seen an increase in jobs and a drop in certain categories of crime, the administration has been preoccupied with efforts to find housing for tens of thousands of international migrants who overwhelmed the city's homeless shelters.
There has also been a steady drip of accusations and a swirl of suspicion around people close to the mayor.
Facing Multiple Investigations
The Manhattan District Attorney brought charges against six people – including a former police captain long close with Adams – over an alleged scheme to funnel tens of thousands of dollars to the mayor's campaign by manipulating the public matching funds programs in the hopes of receiving preferential treatment from the city. Adams was not accused of wrongdoing in that case.
Adams' former top building-safety official, Eric Ulrich, was charged last year with accepting $150,000 in bribes and improper gifts in exchange for political favors, including providing access to the mayor. Ulrich pleaded not guilty and is fighting the charges.
In February, federal investigators searched two properties owned by one of Adams' close aides, Winnie Greco, who had raised thousands of dollars in campaign donations from the city's Chinese American communities and later became his director of Asian affairs. Greco hasn't commented publicly on the FBI searches of her properties and continues to work for the city.
When agents seized electronic devices from Caban, the former police commissioner, in early September, they also visited his twin brother, James Caban, a former police officer who runs a nightlife consulting business.
Agents also took devices from the schools chancellor; his brother Philip Banks, formerly a top NYPD chief who is now deputy mayor for public safety; their brother Terence Banks, who ran a consulting firm that promised to connect businesses to government stakeholders; and from First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, who is David Banks' domestic partner. All denied any wrongdoing.
A Wide-Ranging Probe
While those investigations swirled, federal authorities also searched the homes of newly named interim police commissioner, Thomas Donlan, and seized materials unrelated to his police work. Donlon confirmed the search and said it involved materials that had been in his possession for 20 years. He did not address what the investigation was about, but a person familiar with the investigation said it had to do with classified documents dating from the years when Donlon worked for the FBI. The person spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about that investigation.
The Mayor's Response
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is facing federal criminal charges, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner. Adams, 64, was elected to lead the most populous US city nearly three years ago on a promise to rein in crime. But he and a string of top officials in his orbit have faced growing scrutiny as part of multiple federal corruption probes.
“I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target – and a target I became,” Adams said in a statement to the BBC. “If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
Federal prosecutors are expected to unseal the indictment on Thursday, when Adams will make an initial court appearance, CBS News reports.
A Long List of Investigations
The reported charges come less than a year after federal agents seized Adams' electronic devices and searched the home of Brianna Suggs, his chief fundraiser. It was later revealed that the US attorney's office in Manhattan was looking into whether Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign team conspired with the government of Turkey to funnel illegal donations into the campaign.
The New York Times reported on Monday that prosecutors subpoenaed the campaign and the mayor's office for information related to five other countries: Israel, China, Qatar, South Korea and Uzbekistan.
Adams has remained steadfast that he would remain in office even as a growing list of officials have called for his resignation. Earlier Wednesday, US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - a popular figure in left-leaning New York - joined that list.
“I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. “For the good of the city, he should resign.”
Ocasio-Cortez referenced a recent “flood of resignations and vacancies” that she said were threatening city government's ability to function.
A Future in Doubt
Adams's reported indictment comes weeks after federal agents seized electronic devices belonging to three people closely affiliated with him - schools chancellor David Banks, his brother Deputy Mayor Phil Banks, and his fiancée Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. In a surprise announcement on Tuesday, David Banks announced he would be stepping down from his role at the end of the year.
The US attorney’s office in Manhattan is investigating another Banks brother, Terence, over a possible bribery scheme involving his consulting firm and city contracts. Prosecutors in that office are also looking into bribery claims against the twin brother of former New York Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who resigned earlier this month weeks after his phone was seized by federal agents.
Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Donlon had his own homes searched last Friday. In the past two weeks, the mayor’s chief legal counsel and the city health commissioner have also stepped down.
Adams, who is only the second black person to run New York City, is facing a growing list of Democratic challengers ahead of his re-election bid next year. New York’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, a close ally who has yet to comment on the indictment, has the power to remove Adams from office. If Adams’ tenure ends prematurely, Jumaane Williams, the city’s public advocate, is next in line to become the city’s acting mayor.
The Unfolding Story
The saga of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the multiple federal investigations swirling around him continues to unfold. As the indictment remains sealed, the city and the nation wait with bated breath to learn the full extent of the charges against the mayor and the potential impact on his future.
Stay tuned for further developments in this breaking news story.
