U.S. Attorney details charges against Mayor Adams

September 26, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Share this:

MANHATTAN — DAMIAN WILLIAMS, THE U.S. ATTORNEY IN MANHATTAN, detailed the charges against Mayor Eric Adams during an extensive press conference Thursday at Federal Plaza, saying that Adams kept the public “in the dark” about his activities and that he “continued to receive foreign monies in secret through 2021.”

Williams said that Adams received contributions from business leaders “far above what the law allows.” Williams charged that Adams repeatedly circumvented all of the laws regarding campaign contributions for New York office, and he took benefits including free meals, free hotels and free airline accommodation upgrades between the U.S., Turkey, China and other nations that were not part of a commercial loyalty program. None of the trips were disclosed.

The indictment shows that Adams accepted and sought illegal campaign contributions to his mayoral campaign. The indictment charges that a senior official in the Turkish diplomatic establishment “facilitated many straw donations” to Adams and arranged for Adams and his companions to receive free or discounted travel on Turkey’s national airline to destinations including France, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hungary and Turkey.

Williams said that Adams’ mayoral campaign received more than $10,000 in matching funds as a result of the false certifications, according to the indictment.

Also speaking were James Dennehy, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office and Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber, NYC Department of Investigation, who said the probe was handled “totally independent of City Hall and by working closely with the FBI and US Attorney.”

They emphasized that the investigation was not political and did not focus on“right vs.left, but right vs. wrong.”

✰✰✰