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Federal investigators have charged the 64-year-old Democrat with five counts, including conspiracy to receive illegal foreign campaign contributions, wire fraud, and bribery, said Damian Williams, the US. attorney for the Southern District of New York in a news conference.
Here is what those allegations are as summarized by multiple news outlets.
What Federal Investigators Say Adams Did
In a conspiracy that prosecutors allege lasted from 2016 until 2023, Adams accepted more than $100,000 in gifts, including free hotel stays and flight upgrades, meals at high-end restaurants, and "luxurious entertainment" while on a trip to Turkey. — CNN
In exchange for these lavish gifts, Adams, who was elected mayor in 2021, used his position to help the Turkish government open a consulate in Manhattan despite public safety concerns, prosecutors said. — Politico.
Investigators say that Adams received $10 million in "public funds" from New York City's matching funds program, which matches small political donations from city residents with city money. They say Adams used "straw donations" to illegally scam that system. — CNN.
Feds allege Adams used his influence as mayor to make it easier for Turkish officials to build a skyscraper in New York City. – Politico
“This was a multiyear scheme to buy favor with a single New York City politician on the rise,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said at a news conference on Thursday. — NBC News
Authorities also accuse Adam of trying to obstruct the federal investigation. In one instance, he gave investigators his phone but claimed he had changed the password a day earlier and forgotten the new one. — USA Today
Click here to read the 57-page indictment as posted by NBC News.
Adams, a former New York City Police captain, became the first sitting New York City mayor to be indicted and charged with a federal crime. He staunchly denies the charges.
What Adams Says About The Charges
In his first public address since news leaked on Wednesday, Sept. 25, Adams was defiant, calling the investigation a political witchhunt that began after he stood up to President Joe Biden over his immigration policies. — Daily Voice
"You have now heard the news about today’s indictment. Let me be clear, I know I've done nothing wrong, and I am committed to continuing to fight on behalf of New Yorkers as your mayor. My day-to-day will not change because I will continue to do deliver for you as your mayor." — Eric Adam's Twitter.
As hecklers called Adams a "disgrace" during a Thursday news conference, Adams asked New Yorkers to "hear our defense before making any judgments." — ABC News
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