By Stacy Brown<\/p>\n
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been criminally indicted, becoming the first sitting mayor in the city\u2019s history to face such charges. Federal prosecutors announced the indictment late Wednesday, and the charges were released Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
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Adams has been indicted on five federal charges related to bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, according to a 57-page indictment unsealed Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
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The indictment outlines alleged illegal actions stretching back to 2014, from when he was Brooklyn borough president.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor nearly a decade, Adams sought and accepted improper valuable benefits, such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him,\u201d the indictment reads.<\/p>\n
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Adams allegedly sought and accepted illegal \u201cnominee\u201d or \u201cstraw\u201d contributions. By \u201csmuggling their contributions\u201d to Adams\u2019 campaign through straw donors and actors from overseas, Adams \u201cdefeated federal laws that serve to prevent foreign influence on U.S. elections,\u201d according to the indictment.<\/p>\n
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In 2018, when Adams had announced his plans to run for New York City mayor, he allegedly accepted and sought illegal contributions to his upcoming mayoral campaign, the indictment says.<\/p>\n
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Businesses also circumvented the city\u2019s ban on corporate contributions \u201cby funneling their donations through multiple employees,\u201d according to the indictment.<\/p>\n
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The charges mark a pivotal moment in Adams\u2019 tumultuous tenure, which high-level resignations and a series of federal investigations have plagued.<\/p>\n
In a video statement posted online, Adams fiercely denied the allegations, calling the charges \u201centirely false\u201d and \u201cbased on lies.\u201d<\/p>\n
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He asserted that federal authorities had targeted him because of his commitment to standing up for New Yorkers. Adams vowed to fight the charges in court. He made it clear he had no plans to resign.<\/p>\n
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The indictment follows months of escalating federal scrutiny. Earlier this month, federal agents searched the homes of several of Adams\u2019 top officials and seized phones, including that of Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who resigned on Sept. 12.<\/p>\n
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Authorities also confiscated the phone of Caban\u2019s twin brother, James Caban, a former police officer who now runs a nightclub security business. Investigators reportedly are looking into whether bars and clubs in Manhattan and Queens paid James Caban to act as a police liaison and if those establishments received special treatment from local precincts.<\/p>\n
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This latest indictment adds to a series of ongoing federal probes into Adams\u2019 administration, which has already seen numerous high-ranking officials come under investigation. These probes began last year when federal agents seized the mayor\u2019s electronic devices after searching the home of his chief fundraiser.<\/p>\n
Calls for Adams to step down have intensified after the charges.<\/p>\n
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New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who have launched campaigns for next year\u2019s mayoral race, have publicly called for the mayor to resign.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe hardworking people of New York City deserve a government and leadership they can trust. Right now, they don\u2019t have it,\u201d Lander said in a statement.<\/p>\n
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The New York Working Families Party, a major progressive group, also demanded Adams\u2019 resignation, stating that \u201che has lost the trust of the everyday New Yorkers he was elected to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Adams, a former NYPD captain, was elected in 2021 on promises to restore public safety and reinvigorate the city post-COVID-19.<\/p>\n
His administration, however, has been criticized for handling issues like the migrant crisis and subway safety, as well as for his late-night socializing and disputes over city spending, particularly on education. Despite these challenges, Adams has maintained a defiant stance, denying all wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
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Several news outlets reported that Adams is expected to have several days to turn himself in, and is not expected to appear in court on Thursday. Prosecutors have informed his attorneys that he will be summoned to surrender later.<\/p>\n
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In his video statement, Adams remained resolute: \u201cI always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers, I would be a target \u2014 and a target I became. If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n