New York City Mayor Eric Adams indicted on bribery, fraud charges
Mayor defiant as he vows to remain in office and fight any charges he might face
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on bribery and fraud charges following a federal corruption investigation, calling into question the political future of the man in charge of running the biggest US city.
In the indictment, widely reported Wednesday night but unsealed Thursday morning, Adams is accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign from foreign nationals. The charges were filed by the office of Damian Williams, the US attorney in Manhattan.
Federal prosecutors allege that over nearly a decade, dating back to when Adams served as Brooklyn borough president, he accepted improper benefits, such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him.
The prosecutors detailed improper relationships that Adams allegedly had with a Turkish diplomat, including accepting free upgrades and tickets to business class for himself and companions on round-trip flights from New York to China, France, Hungary, India, Sri Lanka and Turkey and discounted hotel stays.
They announced a press conference on the indictment at 11:30am in New York.