Federal prosecutors unsealed charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday, alleging that he committed wire fraud and bribery and accepted foreign campaign money, among other charges. Adams is the first New York City mayor to be indicted while in office.
At a news conference held shortly before prosecutors made their statements, Adams was defiant, saying he has no plans to resign and suggesting the prosecution is politically motivated. “It’s an unfortunate day. And it’s a painful day,” Adams said in front of a group of supporters. “But within all of this, there is a day when we will finally reveal why I went through this for ten months. And I look forward to defending myself.” A day earlier, before the charges were unveiled, he called the coming charges “completely false.”
The full federal indictment details the prosecution’s case that Adams solicited and received so-called straw donations from Turkish nationals beginning in 2015, which were then used as a basis for requesting matching public funds, in the amount of $10 million. It also claims that in return, Adams used his influence to have a Turkish consular building opened with a New York Fire Department stamp.
You can read the full indictment here, but for readers at home who are only interested in the more salient details, consider the following excerpts, taken verbatim from the indictment (with the slight modification of Adams’ name removed to extract from capital letters):
1. ‘The first stop is always Istanbul [sic]’
Because the Turkish airline provided Eric Adams, the defendant, with free travel benefits worth tens of thousands of dollars, he flew with the Turkish airline even though it was otherwise inconvenient. For example, during the July and August 2017 trip, Adams’ partner was surprised to learn that Adams was in Turkey when she understood he would be flying from New York to France. Adams replied in a text message: “I’m going here. You know the first stop is always Istanbul [sic].’ When Adams’ partner later inquired about planning a trip to Easter Island, Chile, Adams repeatedly asked her if the Turkish airline could be used for their flights, requiring her to call the Turkish airline to confirm that they had no routes between New York and Chile. .”
2. ‘The tickets were free’
For example, on November 25, 2017, Adams sent an email to the Adams Scheduler saying that with regard to the “July trip,” i.e. the July and August 2017 trip on the Turkish airline, “I have the money for the international airline have left to you’. in an envelope in your top desk drawing. [sic] Please send it to them.” Considering the cost of the international business class tickets alone for Adams, Adams’ email suggested that he had at least left over $10,000 in cash in the desk drawer of the Adams Scheduler to “send” to the Turkish airline as payment for flights made months earlier. . He did not do so because data from the Turkish airline confirms that Adams did not pay the airline in cash or otherwise because the tickets were free.”
3. ‘They can cause a big stink later’
On June 22, 2018, the Adams staffer and the promoter discussed by text message a possible Adams trip to Turkey. The initiator stated in part, “Fundraising in Turkey is not legal, but I think I can unofficially raise money for your campaign.” The Adams staffer asked, “How do I want to do that?” [Adams] Give that money here?’ The promoter replied: ‘He won’t explain it. . . Or… We make the donation through a US citizen in the US. A Turk… I’ll give him cash in Turkey… Or I’ll send it to an American… He’ll make a donation to you.’ The Adams staffer responded, “I don’t think he would get involved in games like that. Maybe they’ll cause a big stink later,” but “I’ll ask anyway.” The Adams staffer then asked, “How much do you think would come from you?” $?’ The promoter replied, “Up to $100,000.” The Adams staffer wrote, “100K? Do you have a chance to convey that here? . . . We can’t do it while Eric is in Turkey,” to which the promoter replied, “Let’s think about it.” Following this conversation, the Adams Staffer asked Adams whether the Adams Staffer should continue the Promoter’s illegal foreign contributions, and contrary to the Adams Staffer’s expectations, Adams instructed the Adams Staffer to continue the Promoter’s illegal scheme.
4. Adams ‘could one day be president’
[Adams] also solicited illegal foreign campaign contributions while in Istanbul in January 2019. During Adams’ trip, the promoter arranged for Adams to meet a wealthy Turkish businessman (“Businessman-3”). The Turkish official, through the Adams staffer, discouraged Adams from meeting with Businessman-3, who was then suspected of misconduct. Adams did so anyway [sic]. During their meeting, Adams and the promoter solicited campaign contributions from Businessman-3, who as a Turkish citizen could not legally contribute to any U.S. campaign. During the meeting, Businessman-3 agreed to contribute $50,000 or more to the 2021 campaign, believing that Adams could one day be the President of the United States and hoping to gain influence with Adams. […] However, before any of the straw donations discussed could take place, Businessman-3’s legal troubles in Turkey and the United States became increasingly well known. Adams declined to meet with Businessman-3 when Businessman-3 later visited New York, and Businessman-3 ultimately did not contribute to the 2021 campaign.
5. ‘Delete all messages’
[I]In March 2019, while exchanging text messages to plan another possible trip to Turkey, where the airline manager would arrange the trip for Adams, the Adams staffer texted Adams: “To be o[n the]safe side Please delete any messages you send me.’ Adams replied, ‘Always do.’”
6. Turkey official ‘pays personal attention’
[After Adams was elected mayor] The promoter also celebrated Adams’ prospects with even more people, telling others – including Adams himself – that Adams would soon become President of the United States. Similarly, the Turkish official wrote to the Adams staffer that, given Adams’ increasing fame, “at this time” Turkey’s foreign minister is “paying personal attention to him” and Adams “does not associate with his other Turkish benefactors should interfere.’
7. ‘Why does he care? He’s not going to pay[.]’
At Adams’ direction, the Adams Staffer also coordinated luxury accommodations for Adams and Adams’ Partner, which would be secretly provided to Adams at no charge, as the Adams Staffer and the Airline Manager discussed: Adams Staffer: He also asks where else can go to Turkey[.] Do you have a recommendation? Airline manager: Four Seasons Adams Staffer: It’s too expensive Airline manager: What does he care? He’s not going to pay[.] His name won’t be on anything either. Adams Staffer: Great
8. ‘His turn’ to support Turkey
On or about September 5, 2021, the Turkish official began asking Adams, both directly and through the Adams staffer, to intervene with the FDNY Commissioner […] to secure one [temporary certificate of occupancy] for the [Turkish government’s] Turkish House. Adams, the Turkish official and the Adams staffer discussed these requests via phone calls and electronic messages. In a telephone conversation with the Adams staffer, the Turkish official stated that because Turkey had supported Adams, it was now “his turn” to support Turkey. The Adams staffer relayed this message to Adams and Adams responded, “I know.”
9. ‘Seat number 52 is empty’
On December 8, 2021, the Adams Staffer sent the Airline Manager a link to a list of Adams’ transition committees and asked the Airline Manager, “Have you looked at the list?” The airline manager replied, “I would be well suited to be a principal or senior advisor.” Two days later the airline manager sent a message repeating: ‘Lead Plz 🙂 Otherwise seat number 52 is empty. . . On the way back,” meaning that if the airline manager were not given a position on a transition committee, it would impact Adams’ travel benefits with the Turkish airline. On December 17, 2021, the Adams Staffer sent Adams a list of Turkish community members to add to Adams’ transition committees, with the Airline Manager as the top name. Adams informed the Adams staffer that he had sent the list to the individuals responsible for organizing his transition committees. Adams sent the list to an employee with the command “Add to transition.” The airline manager was subsequently added to the transition committee of Adams’ Infrastructure, Climate and Sustainability Committee.
10. The alleged bathroom break of an Adams employee
After learning that FBI agents had arrived at her home, but before responding to their repeated knocks on her door, the Adams Fundraiser called Adams five times, even though the agents had not yet given the Adams Fundraiser any indication of its purpose of their visit. When the Adams Fundraiser subsequently spoke with the FBI agents, she agreed to discuss many topics but declined to say who paid for her 2021 trip to Turkey. As the FBI agents left the Adams Fundraiser’s home, Adams attempted to call the Adams Fundraiser’s phone. On the morning the FBI agents conducted this search, Adams had flown to Washington, D.C. for a publicized official meeting, but upon learning of the search, Adams canceled the meeting and immediately returned to New York City. […] The Adams Staffer also agreed to speak with FBI agents and falsely denied the criminal conduct of herself and Adams, among others. At one point during her voluntary interview, the Adams staffer excused herself to a restroom and, while there, deleted the encrypted messaging applications she had used to communicate with Adams, the promoter, the Turkish official, the airline manager and others.
11. ‘The complexity of his password’
FBI agents executed a search warrant for the electronic devices used by [Adams]. Although Adams had several electronic devices with him, including two cell phones, he did not have his personal cell phone, the device he used to communicate about the conduct described in this indictment. When Adams took out his personal cell phone the next day in response to a subpoena, it became “locked” so that the device required a password to open. Adams claimed that after learning of the investigation into his conduct, he changed the password on November 5, 2024, increasing the complexity of his password from four digits to six. Adams had done this, he claimed, to prevent members of his staff from accidentally or intentionally deleting the contents of his phone, because, according to Adams, he wanted to keep the contents of his phone for the sake of the investigation. But, Adams further claimed, he had forgotten the password he had just set, and so was unable to provide the FBI with a password to unlock the phone.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
