Mayor Adams, who had promised to restore peace and order, is charged

Mayor Eric Adams, who took office nearly three years ago with a promise to fight crime and punish evildoers across all five boroughs, is the first New York City mayor in modern history to be indicted for crimes allegedly committed by him.

In an indictment unsealed Thursday morning, federal prosecutors accused Adams of “providing preferential treatment in exchange for the unlawful benefits he received from foreign nationals,” thereby violating campaign finance law.

The historic charges are the culmination of an investigation into foreign interference in Adams' campaign contributions during his successful 2021 run for mayor. Prosecutors alleged that the campaign “sought and accepted” bogus donations from foreign governments, including Turkey, that secretly donated to his campaign. In return, Adams allegedly provided favors to those governments. The charges against him include wire fraud and bribery.

The first clues about the scope of the investigation emerged last November, when federal agents raided the Brooklyn home of Adams' top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, and a handful of businesspeople with ties to the Turkish government, including a Turkish Airlines executive and a Brooklyn-based construction company. Investigators also targeted City Hall staffer Rana Abbasova, who served as a liaison to the Turkish community during Adams' tenure as borough president and mayor of Brooklyn. Adams visited Turkey at least six times since serving as a state senator representing part of Central Brooklyn.

The raids followed allegations that Adams had contacted senior fire officials, including then-FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro, to expedite safety inspections at a brand new Turkish consulate building in Midtown Manhattan in 2021. At the time, Adams had not yet been elected mayor.

As Gothamist previously reported, fire officials involved in the hasty reviews also cited a list of projects owned by wealthy businessmen or politically influential developers that were also given priority.

Adams remained defiant, saying he had no plans to resign even after federal agents seized his phone early Thursday morning for the second time in less than a year, suggesting he would argue that federal authorities improperly released details of the case to the press.

“I now believe that the federal government intends to charge me with crimes,” Adams said in a short video released late Wednesday. “If that is the case, those charges will be completely false and based on lies.”

Adams also condemned the federal government's response to the refugee crisis in the city.

“I always knew that if I stood up for all of you, I would be a target. And I was a target,” he said. “Despite our pleas, the federal government did nothing because its failed immigration policies overwhelmed our admissions system and offered no help. I put the people of New York above party and politics.”

Politicians across the ideological spectrum called for Adams' resignation – a stunning fall from grace for a mayor who had called himself the “face of the new Democratic Party” after winning the party's primary in June 2021. Prominent Democrats and political observers shared that view, praising Adams as a moderate, working-class leader.

Adams, a former NYPD officer, pledged to crack down on crime amid a post-pandemic spike in crime, reinstating a controversial police unit tasked with combating low-level street crime and putting extra cops on the subways, while prioritizing quality-of-life issues, such as getting homeless New Yorkers off the streets and public transit.

The self-proclaimed “Mayor of Nightlife” has also cast himself as the Big Apple’s biggest promoter, frequently visiting Bronx bars, downtown members’ clubs and VIP parties with celebrities and influencers, while boasting that he can “keep going” even after a night of drinking.

“People are afraid to go back to restaurants. Now they see our mayor going out and saying, 'Come back to our city,'” he told CNN in 2022. “We're a 24-hour city.”

Federal prosecutors have reportedly targeted some of the perks Adams received during his tenure, including first-class upgrades on Turkish Airlines flights.

Spokespeople for the FBI and the Southern District of New York declined to comment on the charges. A press conference on the charges was expected at noon.

US Attorney Damian Williams, who is prosecuting Adams, is involved in numerous high-profile cases of public corruption.

He recently secured a conviction of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez on bribery charges, which also included helping a foreign government in exchange for bribes. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Williams led the second trial of former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, which ended in a guilty verdict.

Williams' office is also investigating former Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin for bribery.

The case against Adams in the Southern District is just one of several corruption cases against his administration.

Federal authorities are currently investigating alleged bribery and kickback schemes involving high-ranking law enforcement officials, as well as the influence of a high-ranking official and liaison with the Chinese community, Winnie Greco.

Earlier this month, federal agents also searched the homes of Adams' first deputy mayor, Sheena Wright, and her fiancé, schools chancellor David Banks, as well as deputy mayor for public safety Phil Banks, David Banks' brother.

Days after the raid, David Banks announced his resignation as superintendent of the city's schools, saying the decision had nothing to do with the investigation or the seizure of his phones.

Samantha Max contributed reporting.