NYC Mayor Eric Adams Indictment Scandal, Explained
New York City Mayor Eric Adams certainly isn't the state's first government official to land in hot water — look no further than former governor of New York Andrew Cuomo — but his indictment is unprecedented. Adams is facing allegations of corruption after he was indicted on five federal counts including wire fraud, bribery, and accepting campaign contributions from foreign nationals.
Adams was elected mayor of NYC in 2021, succeeding former Mayor Bill de Blasio. However, Adams' alleged crimes go back as far as 2014, when he was serving as Brooklyn Borough President. Adams is accused of accepting gifts and various other favors from Turkish officials, in exchange for political favors in New York. The charges also relate to alleged crimes committed during his mayoral campaign in 2021, and during his time in office.
"Mayor Adams engaged in a long-running conspiracy in which he solicited and knowingly accepted illegal campaign contributions from foreign donors and corporations," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said while announcing the charges during a press conference (via CBS News). "As we allege, Mayor Adams took these donations, even though he knew they were illegal, and even though he knew these contributions were attempts by a Turkish governmental official and Turkish businessmen to buy influence with him." All in all, Adams is charged with two counts of solicitation of foreign contributions, one count of wire fraud, one count of bribery, and one count of conspiracy.
He is also accused of defrauding a public program for campaign funds
The embattled mayor has also been charged with defrauding a public program for his own campaign's war chest. According to the indictment, Eric Adams allegedly accepted money from foreign nationals, but funneled that money through straw donors, meaning U.S. citizens who made the donations under their own names with the money given to them by those foreign nationals. "By smuggling their contributions to Adams through U.S.-based straw donors, Adams' overseas contributors defeated federal laws that serve to prevent foreign influence on U.S. elections," the US Attorney's Office explained in a statement. "Wealthy individuals evaded laws designed to limit their power over elected officials by restricting the amount any one person can donate to a candidate."
Additionally, Adams is accused of exploiting a government program offered by the state of New York that matches small donations made by individuals, up to eight times the original contribution. Adams is accused of using this program to dramatically increase the foreign straw donations, thus taking in $10 million in public funds for his own campaign efforts.
The indictment also alleges that Adams and those under his employ intentionally attempted to cover up their actions and deceive investigators, all of which adds to the weight of the conspiracy charge. Adams pleaded not guilty to all five counts, and, in a motion filed by his attorneys, claimed he is being unfairly targeted by "zealous prosecutors" (via NBC News). If convicted on all counts, Adams could face a maximum of 45 years in prison.