Federal prosecutors have indicted New York City Mayor Eric Adams, reports Politico, citing a report by The New York Times.
The indictment makes Mr. Adams the first sitting New York City mayor to face criminal charges. The mayor vowed to fight the charges.
One of the investigations is believed to be focused on whether Adams’ mayoral campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources. As part of that probe, the FBI last year searched a home in Brooklyn belonging to Adams’ chief fundraiser.
Federal investigators have also been looking into whether Adams pressured the city’s fire commissioner to approve a new building housing the Turkish Consulate despite safety concerns.
Adams was still Brooklyn’s borough president when, shortly after he won the Democratic mayoral primary in 2021, he reached out to then-Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro, according to sources familiar with the matter. Adams encouraged Nigro to evaluate a request from the Turkish government to use the building, which had not yet opened because fire department officials had refused to sign off on the safety of its occupancy.
Adams’ phones were seized as part of the inquiry, and FBI agents have questioned Nigro as a witness at least twice, sources familiar with the matter have told NBC News. (Nigro has declined to comment.)
The dramatic move comes after a lengthy investigation that has dogged the moderate Democrat for nearly a year along with several other law enforcement probes that have led to a spate of high-level resignations. Adams is facing reelection next year.
The investigation is being led by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District in New York, Damian Williams.
The specific charges in the sealed indictment were not yet known, according to the Times. Williams is expected to make the charges public Thursday.
Shortly after news of the indictment became public, Adams released a statement proclaiming his innocence and vowing to fight the charges.
“I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target ” and a target I became,” he said. “If I am charged, I am innocent and will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
On Nov. 2, federal agents fanned out to multiple locations around the city where they conducted raids and interviews at the homes of several people tied to Adams including his former campaign treasurer, an aide focused on Turkish relations and a former executive of Turkish Airlines who served on Adams’ transition team. Days later, the feds stopped Adams himself on the street and confiscated several electronic devices.
