New York Mayor Eric Adams and several high-ranking officials in his administration are currently under federal corruption investigations. The U.S. attorney’s office is conducting multiple inquiries, with the full scope still unclear. No charges have been filed, and some individuals targeted may only be witnesses. The city’s Department of Investigation is also involved. State-level prosecutions and civil cases have impacted the Adams administration.
One investigation focuses on Adams’ 2021 campaign and its connections to the Turkish government, looking into potential illegal foreign donations. Brianna Suggs, Rana Abbasova, and Cenk Öcal, all with ties to the mayor, have had their homes searched and devices seized. Another inquiry involves former Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban and his twin brother’s nightclub-security business, with several phones being seized.
A third investigation targets senior City Hall aides and associates, including Timothy Pearson, Philip Banks III, David C. Banks, Sheena Wright, and Terence Banks. It appears to center on a possible bribery scheme involving Terence Banks’ government-relations consulting company. Phones were seized, and homes searched in connection to these individuals.
Other legal matters involve former campaign fund-raiser Winnie Greco, former Buildings Commissioner Eric Ulrich, and former Police Inspector Dwayne Montgomery, all facing charges or pleading guilty to various crimes.
Mayor Adams himself has been accused of sexual assault, with a woman alleging he asked for oral sex in exchange for career help in 1993. Adams has denied the allegations.
The ongoing federal investigations have caused turmoil in the Adams administration and raised questions about potential corruption among city officials. Adams, running for re-election next year, faces challenges as these probes continue.
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