NYC Mayor Eric Adams Indicted for Bribery, Fraud, and Accepting Illegal Campaign Donations

The indictment against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, unsealed Thursday, accuses him of soliciting and accepting illegal campaign donations and gifts from wealthy foreign nationals, including Turkish officials, dating back to 2014. Allegedly, Adams used his position to influence decisions, such as pressuring the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) to approve a new Turkish consular building without a proper fire inspection. These accusations form the crux of the federal indictment against him, which includes five counts: bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy, and two counts of soliciting campaign donations from foreign nationals.

Adams, a Democrat elected as mayor in 2021, has denied any wrongdoing and maintains his intention to stay in office. He stated, “I look forward to defending myself and defending the people of this city as I’ve done throughout my entire professional career.”

CNN reviewed the 57-page indictment, which outlines what Adams allegedly accepted from foreign nationals, what he provided in return, and his efforts to hide his actions. The charges laid out by the prosecutors aim to prove a series of illegal acts spanning several years.

What Adams Allegedly Accepted

The indictment alleges that for nearly a decade, Adams actively sought out and accepted various benefits, including free luxury travel and illegal campaign donations from foreign businessmen. Between 2016 and October 2023, Adams reportedly committed 23 “overt acts” that involved accepting free flights, hotel accommodations, and orchestrating donations through “straw donors” to circumvent federal law. These straw donors were U.S.-based individuals who falsely claimed they were donating their own money to Adams’ campaigns.

The indictment reveals that Adams received free business class tickets for international flights, luxury hotel stays, high-end restaurant meals, and “lavish” entertainment during trips to Turkey. In one instance, he allegedly accepted business class tickets for three international flights and a significantly discounted stay at the St. Regis Istanbul in 2017. The total value of this trip exceeded $41,000, yet Adams failed todisclose it, according to the indictment.

From 2016 to 2021, Adams allegedly accepted over $123,000 worth of luxury travel without reporting any of it. By 2018, he was not only receiving illegal campaign contributions for his 2021 mayoral bid, but he also began actively seeking out such donations from foreign nationals. The indictment further claims that Adams had already agreed to accept foreign contributions for his 2025 campaign by January 2022.

What Adams Allegedly Gave in Return

In exchange for the luxury travel and other perks he received from Turkish officials, Adams allegedly used his influence to push the FDNY to approve the opening of a Turkish consular building without a fire inspection. This action was prompted by a request from a Turkish official, who in September 2021, allegedly told Adams that “it was his turn to repay.” The official asked Adams to ensure the building would open without the required fire safety check, as Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was scheduled for a visit.

Court documents suggest that the building would not have passed a fire inspection at the time due to “major issues.” Adams allegedly put pressure on the FDNY Commissioner to approve the building, and the same day, the FDNY Chief of Department warned the fire prevention chief that failure to approve the building could cost them their jobs. In response, a conditional letter was drafted to facilitate the opening of the building, even though this procedure was not standard.

Despite the safety concerns, the consular building was opened as requested following Adams’ intervention. CNN reached out to both the Turkish House and the FDNY for comment on the matter.

Efforts to Conceal the Scheme

The indictment also details Adams’ efforts, along with those of his co-conspirators—including an unnamed “Adams staffer”—to conceal their actions from the public. They allegedly created fake paper trails, deleted messages, and changed phone passwords to hide evidence of their dealings.

According to the indictment, “Adams repeatedly did not disclose the free and heavily discounted travel benefits he accepted from the Turkish Official, the Promoter, and the Airline Manager.” He created a false record suggesting he had paid for the travel when, in fact, he had not. Additionally, Adams allegedly told his staffer that he routinely deleted all messages between them and instructed the staffer to ensure that his activities in Turkey in 2021 remained hidden from the public.

The cover-up reportedly continued even after Adams and his co-conspirators became aware of the federal investigation in November 2023. In one instance, an Adams staffer, during an interview with investigators, went to the bathroom and deleted encrypted messaging apps she had used to communicate with Adams and others. Another example detailed in the indictment involves Adams changing the passcode on his personal cell phone.

On November 6, 2023, when investigators searched Adams’ electronic devices, he did not have his personal phone on him. When he later provided the phone, it was locked, and Adams claimed he had forgotten the new password, which he said he changed to prevent staff members from deleting data on the phone.

The Charges Against Adams

In total, Adams faces five counts, which could lead to a maximum prison sentence of 45 years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The most serious charge, wire fraud, carries a potential 20-year sentence. This charge stems from allegations that Adams misused New York City’s matching funds program, which is intended to amplify the voices of New Yorkers by matching donations from city residents with public funds. The indictment claims Adams not only accepted illegal campaign contributions but also used eight of these donations to request matching funds from the city. Each illegal contribution allowed him to secure up to $2,000 in public funds.

Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign received more than $10 million from the city’s matching funds program, though the indictment does not specify how much was directly tied to the illegal donations.

The bribery charge, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, relates to the alleged quid-pro-quo arrangement involving luxury travel benefits provided by a Turkish official in return for Adams pushing the approval of the Turkish consular building.

The two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals are each punishable by up to 5 years in prison. One of these charges is related to allegations from 2021, while the other pertains to events from 2023.

Finally, the conspiracy charge, also punishable by up to 5 years in prison, alleges that Adams and “others known and unknown” agreed to commit federal offenses, including wire fraud, soliciting and accepting illegal campaign contributions, and bribery. The indictment outlines 23 specific actions taken in furtherance of the conspiracy.