New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted Wednesday following a federal corruption investigation, the New York Times reported. Details of the indictment and possible charges will be announced Thursday.
In a statement, Adams attempted to portray this as a form of persecution, telling the outlet, “I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target — 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.”
The indictment comes after several high profile Adams associates have come under investigation, with some already facing criminal charges or accusations of serious misconduct.
Among them, former NYC building commissioner Eric Ulrich resigned in 2021 and was subsequently charged with taking bribes. In February, former police inspector Dwayne Montgomery pled guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy charges related to a straw donor scheme to funnel illegal campaign contributions to Adams back in 2021. And in recent weeks, police commissioner Edward Caban, Caban’s chief of staff Raul Pintos, and school chancellor David C. Banks all announced their resignations after their phones were seized.
In November, the Times obtained a search warrant that revealed the FBI and federal prosecutors had opened an investigation into whether or not Adams received illegal foreign donations with help from Turkey’s government. The agency conducted a raid on the home of the mayor’s top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, where they “seized three iPhones and two laptop computers, along with papers and other evidence including something agents identified as ‘manila folder labeled Eric Adams,’ seven ‘contribution card binders’ and other materials.”
News of the indictment was met with calls for Adams to resign from office, something he has so far insisted he will not do. Should Adams eventually heed those calls, public advocate Jumaane Williams will take over as acting mayor and set a date for a special election.
New York State Sen. Zellnor Myrie was among those who insisted the time for Adams to step down is now. “This is a sad day for the city, and especially painful for so many Black New Yorkers who put our hope and faith in this Mayor,” he wrote on X.
“We live in the greatest city in the world — and the Mayor must be fully focused on delivering for the millions who call it home. Many like my parents come here in search of opportunity; others like myself are born and raised by this vibrant city. Each New Yorker deserves a Mayor who is dedicated to serving our communities, and who upholds the dignity and integrity this office requires.”
“We need a leader who is fully focused, without distraction, on the enormous challenges we face — from housing affordability to public safety. A mayor under the weight of a serious indictment can no longer do that — and today I am calling on him to resign,” Myrie concluded.
Adams was elected Mayor of New York in 2021 and became the second Black person to win the office. As a former police officer, he campaigned on an anti-crime platform and promised to both reform the department and to increase policing in the city.
