New York Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on federal bribery, fraud, and campaign finance charges, making him the city’s first mayor to be criminally charged while in office.
A 57-page indictment, unsealed Thursday, accuses Adams of corrupt acts going back a decade and says he was a willing agent for the Turkish government, trading influence for illegal campaign funds and free trips around the world.
Adams “abused his position as this city’s highest elected official…to take bribes and solicit illegal campaign contributions,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said at a press conference.
The indictment accuses Adams of bilking the city’s public campaign finance program of $10 million and of receiving $100,000 in free travel to France, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hungary, and Turkey.
“As Adams’ prominence and power grew, his foreign-national benefactors sought to cash in on their corrupt relationships with him,” the indictment said. “Adams agreed, providing favorable treatment in exchange for the illicit benefits he received.”
The mayor, a former police captain, was defiant and vowed not to resign.
“The actions that have unfolded over the last 10 months, there have been leaks, commentary, the demonizing,” Adams told reporters as the charges were made public. “This did not surprise us that we reached this day. I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before you make any judgments.”
