New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been charged with five criminal counts in connection to alleged ties with foreign businessmen and a Turkish official, according to a newly unsealed indictment. The charges against Adams include conspiring to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, receiving campaign contributions from foreign nationals, bribery, wire fraud, and soliciting contributions from a foreign national.
Adams, who was elected mayor in 2021 after years of public service, including as Brooklyn‘s borough president and a state senator, has retained celebrity lawyer Alex Spiro to represent him in court. Spiro has accused federal investigators of sensationalizing the case, criticizing what he described as improper leaks and unnecessary theatrics, such as the recent search of Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence. Adams has maintained his innocence, with his lawyer asserting, “We will see them in court.”
The indictment is part of a larger federal corruption investigation that has affected several figures within Adams’ administration, many of whom have resigned or retired in recent months. This follows a pattern of corruption charges brought against political figures across the country, including Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez and Rep. Henry Cuellar, President Joe Biden’s son Hunter, and former President Donald Trump.
In the wake of the indictment, calls for Adams to resign have grown louder. Among the most prominent voices is Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who posted on social media, expressing doubts about Adams’ ability to continue governing effectively amid the scandals and ongoing investigations. “I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City,” she wrote, citing the flood of resignations and the difficulty of maintaining a functional administration under such scrutiny.
