New York City Mayor Eric Adams expected to face federal charges
A string of high-level resignations and at least four federal investigations are plaguing his administration.
According to two people familiar with the situation, federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams could come as early as tomorrow from prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, according to information provided on Wednesday night.
A string of high-profile resignations amid at least four federal investigations is causing havoc for the Adams administration.
Adams has consistently refuted any misconduct, according to NBC.
It is thought that one of the investigations will concentrate on whether Adams’ mayoral campaign colluded with the Turkish government to obtain illicit foreign contributions for his campaign. Last year, the FBI searched the Brooklyn residence of Adams’ main fundraiser as part of that investigation.
Additionally, whether Adams influenced the former fire commissioner of the city to approve a new building housing the Turkish consulate despite safety concerns has been the subject of federal investigators’ investigations.
Sources familiar with the matter claim that shortly after winning the Democratic mayoral primary in 2021, Adams contacted then-fire commissioner Daniel Nigro while still serving as the borough president of Brooklyn. Adams urged Nigro to consider a request for use of the building from the Turkish government, which had not yet been approved for occupancy by fire department officials.
According to people with knowledge of the situation who spoke with NBC News earlier, FBI agents have questioned Nigro as a witness at least twice and confiscated Adams’ phones as part of the investigation. (Nigro has declined to comment.)
Federal agents raided residences earlier this month and confiscated phones from a number of high-ranking officials near Adams. On September 12, Police Commissioner Edward Caban, whose phone was taken, tendered his resignation.
The phone of James Caban, Caban’s twin brother and a former police officer who runs a nightclub security company, was also taken. According to people familiar with the situation, federal investigators are investigating whether bars and clubs in Midtown Manhattan and Queens paid James Caban to serve as a police liaison and whether local precincts then gave those clubs preferential treatment.
In addition, the Adams administration is under investigation for public corruption and another federal investigation resulted in the search of Adams’ former director of Asian affairs’ residences.
In light of the mayor’s indictment, Douglas Muzzio, a retired political science professor from Baruch College, stated that the city government finds itself in a difficult situation.
“Who is in command? What is the direction of policy? stated Muzzio. “City agencies feel somewhat directionless as a result of the high number of resignations already received.”
