Eric Adams indictment: New York mayor charged with bribery and wire fraud

Hours after a defiant news conference, in which he repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the face of five federal corruption charges, Adams said on X: “Let me be clear, I know I’ve done nothing wrong, and I am committed to continuing to fight on behalf of New Yorkers as your mayor.”

A lawyer for Adams requested that his arraignment take place tomorrow or Monday, according to a court filing. Attorney Alex Spiro added that the government does not object to the request.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a brief statement hours after Adams was indicted: “No one is above the law, including the Mayor of New York City. The charges are serious, and the legal process should now play out speedily and fairly.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre today shot down the idea that the federal indictment of Adams was politically motivated.

"The DOJ is handling this case independently. I'm not going to go beyond that," Jean-Pierre said at a news conference.

The statement follows claims and suggestions that Adams' indictment could have been a form of political retribution for his criticism of the Biden administration's migration policies.

Adams planted the seed of that idea in a video statement distributed last night.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that Adams' indictment is a "very serious matter" but that she wants to take time to "read this and absorb" the accusations.

"I’ll take the opportunity now to tell you that later today I will be addressing the substance that is found within this indictment," she said at an unrelated news conference.

Hochul promised that she’ll be deliberative and thoughtful and will "come to the right resolution." She will further address the indictment later today.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the indictment "is a serious and sober moment" for New York City.

"Like every other New Yorker and American, Eric Adams is entitled to the presumption of innocence. That principle is central to the administration of justice in the United States of America," he said. "A jury of the Mayor’s peers will now evaluate the charges in the indictment and ultimately render a determination. In the meantime, I pray for the well-being of our great City."

Prosecutors said today that for years Adams engaged in bribery, accepted illegal contributions from foreign sources and corporations and tried to conceal it in what they described as a “grave breach of the public’s trust.”

“Public office is a privilege. We allege that Mayor Adams abused that privilege and broke the law,” Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at a news conference. 

“Laws that are designed to ensure that officials like him serve the people, not the highest bidder, not a foreign bidder, and certainly not a foreign power. These are bright red lines, and we allege that the mayor crossed them again and again for years,” he continued. “That is the only reason we are here.” 

Federal prosecutors alleged that Adams engaged in a long-running conspiracy to solicit and accept “illegal campaign contributions from foreign donors and corporations.” 

The sprawling indictment against Mayor Adams mentions multiple Turkish figures. One businesswoman mentioned is likely Demet Sabanci Cetindogan, a member of one of the wealthiest families in Turkey. Her company, Demsa, owns the St. Regis Istanbul hotel where Adams stayed during his visits. The indictment notes that the unnamed businesswoman is also the owner of that hotel.

The “businessman 1” mentioned in the indictment, meanwhile, is likely Enver Yucel, owner and chairman of the for-profit Bahcesehir University in Istanbul. The university has a U.S. campus in Washington, D.C., which is referred to as Bay Atlantic University. Yucel has also met with Adams in New York on multiple occasions, as New York magazine reported last year.

Mayor Adams was accosted by a heckler as soon as he approached the podium on Thursday. “This is not a Black thing, this is a you thing!” shouted the heckler armed with a megaphone. “This is a you thing, Adams. This is not a good thing. You are a disgrace to all Black people in this city. The things that you have done are unconscionable.”

Hecklers continued to interrupt the mayor and his guest speakers, including author and activist Hazel Nell Dukes, who reprimanded the protesters, at one point saying, “Would you be quiet? Would you shut up?”

As Adams left the podium, the hecklers shouted, “Resign! Resign!”

The mayor said he wasn’t surprised by the indictment, telling reporters Thursday outside his home that he “expected this.” 

“This did not surprise us that we reached this day,” he said. “And I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments. In about 30 minutes we are going to hear a story about a case that’s in front of us. The story will come from the federal prosecutors, and I ask to wait and hear our side to this narrative.” 

Adams said he would continue to “take care of the city.”

“My day-to-day will not change. I will continue to do the job for 8.3 million New Yorkers that I was elected to do,” he said.

Adams went on to say that it was a “painful” day and looks forward to “defending myself and defending the people of this city as I’ve done throughout my entire professional career.” 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been hit with five federal charges — including wire fraud, bribery and solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national — according to a sprawling 57-page federal indictment unsealed Thursday.

Prosecutors from the Southern District of New York accuse Adams of seeking and accepting luxury international travel from a wealthy businessman and at least one Turkish government official for nearly a decade.

In 2017, when he was the Brooklyn Borough president, Adams accepted a heavily discounted stay at the St. Regis Istanbul owned by a businesswoman who “sought to ingratiate herself with Adams,” the indictment says.

Although the Bentley Suite for two nights would have cost approximately $7,000, Adams paid less than $600, the indictment says. He also did not disclose the trip as he was required to do so as an elected official.

“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.”

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The search this morning at Gracie Mansion pertained to allegations that Adams’ mayoral campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources, said two sources close to the mayor with firsthand knowledge of the events. 

Investigators were also looking into whether Adams pressured the city’s fire commissioner to approve a new building housing the Turkish Consulate despite concerns over its safety.

Federal agents showed up at the home around 6 a.m. with a search warrant and duffel bags, the sources said. They requested cellphones and tablets and seized Adams’ phone. 

The mayor was given a summons informing him that he would be indicted, one source said, noting that Adams was still unaware of what he was being charged with. 

The feds left his home after several hours, the two sources said. 

If the case is related to the mayor’s alleged involvement with the Turkish government, Adams’ team believes they will prevail. According to the sources, federal authorities believe they have exculpatory evidence that shows Adams contemporaneously advising his staff of the law and what not to do.

As of now, Adams and the feds have not negotiated any type of surrender. In a statement last night, Adams said he would fight the charges. 

Five vehicles were seen departing Gracie Mansion around 9:40 a.m.

An attorney for Eric Adams said the FBI searched the mayor's home "in an effort to create a spectacle (again) and take Mayor Adams' phone (again)." The search at Gracie Mansion came after news broke that Adams was expected to face federal charges.

"He has not been arrested and looks forward to his day in court," attorney Alex Spiro said. "They send a dozen agents to pick up a phone when we would have happily turned it in."

The FBI is conducting a search of Gracie Mansion, the home of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, according to video from WNBC, NBC News, and multiple people familiar with the matter.

The FBI New York declined to comment when asked this morning.

The city’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, would take over as interim mayor if Adams were to step down. Williams called the news of Adams’ pending charges “incredibly serious.”

“As the facts emerge, the Public Advocate will have more to say to the people of New York City, and right now, he is focused on how best to ensure that New Yorkers can regain trust, confidence and stability in city government,” Williams added.

A spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul addressed the news of Adams' charges but declined to say much on the matter.

"Governor Hochul is aware of these concerning news reports and is monitoring the situation. It would be premature to comment further until the matter is confirmed by law enforcement," her spokesperson said this morning.

Adams faced a wave of calls to resign Wednesday evening following reports that he is expected to face federal charges as soon as Thursday.

It is not clear what Adams will be charged with, and spokespeople for the FBI and the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.

“The mayor needs to resign for the good of the city. His legal fight is not our fight,” said Scott Stringer, the former New York City comptroller and 2021 mayoral candidate, in a statement. “While the mayor focuses on proving his innocence, the rest of us need to focus on the business of the city — building affordable housing, educating our kids, and keeping this city safe.”

Adams has repeatedly said he is not going anywhere and has no plans to resign, despite mounting investigations and news last night that he was facing federal charges.

Should the situation change and Adams resign or be suspended from office by the governor, who would lead the city and become acting mayor?

According to the New York City charter, if a mayor is suspended by the governor, unable to perform their duties, absent from the city or resigns, the city’s public advocate would become the acting mayor and serve in a temporary capacity.

New York City’s current public advocate is Jumaane Williams.

Williams, a former city councilman, has served as the city’s public advocate since winning a special election in 2019.

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New York Mayor Eric Adams is expected to face federal charges by prosecutors out of the Southern District of New York. In a video statement released Wednesday night, Adams said, “If I am charged, I know I am innocent. I will request an immediate trial so that New Yorkers can hear the truth.”

The Adams administration is already reeling from a series of high-level resignations amid at least four federal probes.

Federal investigators this month searched homes and seized phones belonging to multiple top officials close to Adams. Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who was among those whose phone was seized, resigned on Sept. 12. 

Authorities also seized the phone of Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former police officer who owns a nightclub security business. Federal investigators are looking into whether bars and clubs in midtown Manhattan and Queens paid James Caban to act as a police liaison and whether those clubs were then afforded special treatment by local precincts, according to sources familiar with the matter.