Excerpts from New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Indictment by Reuters

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice in a five-count criminal indictment, making him the first sitting mayor of the city to face such legal action.

The charges against him include bribery, wire fraud, solicitation of contributions from foreign nationals, and conspiracy related to these offenses, with the indictment detailing allegations of misconduct spanning nearly a decade.

At 64 years old, Adams may face up to 45 years in prison. He maintains his innocence and has stated, "I will continue to do my job as mayor."

Outlined in the indictment are several accusations, which have not yet been proven in court:

• Adams allegedly sought and accepted illegal contributions from foreign nationals for his successful 2021 mayoral campaign in exchange for preferential treatment. He is said to have planned to solicit additional illegal contributions for his 2025 reelection campaign as well.

• The indictment claims that illegal funds were funneled through U.S.-based "straw" donors who falsely claimed responsibility for making the donations. A senior Turkish diplomat is reported to have facilitated numerous arrangements involving an Adams staffer, a Turkish university owner, and a promoter looking to leverage Adams’ notoriety in Turkey.

• According to the charges, Adams defrauded New York City and embezzled over $10 million in public funds by applying for matching funds for his campaign based on the illegal contributions. These funds were intended to motivate candidates to engage with the city’s residents.

• Prosecutors assert that a Turkish diplomat provided Adams and his associates with free or discounted travel on Turkish Airlines to various countries, as well as complimentary accommodations and dining at luxurious venues in Turkey. This practice reportedly started as early as 2016 when Adams was president of Brooklyn.

• In one instance noted in the indictment, Adams allegedly paid under $600 for stays in suites at the St. Regis Istanbul in 2017 and 2019, which should have cost around $10,000.

• He reportedly failed to disclose these travel benefits on his financial disclosures and sometimes instructed others to create false documentation to suggest he had paid for the trips.

• Text messages exchanged between Adams and a staffer in March 2019 indicate discussions about a trip to Turkey, with the staffer advising Adams to delete their messages to avoid potential scrutiny.

• In September 2021, Adams purportedly pressured the city’s fire department to allow Turkey to open its new consulate near the United Nations despite its building failing an inspection. This followed a communication from the Turkish diplomat indicating it was Adams’ turn to support Turkey.

• The indictment alleges that after becoming mayor in 2022, Adams showed favoritism towards individuals who provided him with illegal benefits, such as avoiding comment on the Armenian genocide and declining a meeting with the Turkish university owner who failed to deliver promised campaign donations.

• Adams also canceled a planned dinner with a Turkish-American logistics company owner who intended to make significant campaign contributions once the federal investigation into his conduct became known.

• Following his awareness of the investigation, Adams reportedly increased the complexity of his personal cellphone password, claiming it was to prevent staff from deleting the contents, and later claimed to have forgotten the password, preventing the FBI from accessing his phone, according to prosecutors.