Eric Adams Federal Corruption Case (24 CR 556)

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    Prosecutors Urge Judge Not to Dismiss Bribery Charge Against Eric Adams

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    Within days of being criminally indicted, Mayor Eric Adams asked a judge to drop one of five counts against him. Prosecutors say a jury should get to hear their evidence.Federal prosecutors on Friday argued against a request by Mayor Eric Adams that a judge throw out a bribery charge against Mr. Adams, saying they had clearly demonstrated his alleged pattern of soliciting and accepting luxury travel.In a 25-page filing, prosecutors with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan also said that Mr. Adams, the first sitting New York City mayor in modern history to be indicted on criminal charges, was mistaken in arguing that his actions were routine for a public official. They said a jury should decide the issue.“It should be clear from the face of the indictment that there is nothing routine about a public official accepting over $100,000 in benefits from a foreign diplomat, which he took great pains to conceal — including by manufacturing fake paper trails to create the illusion of payment,” prosecutors said.The filing is the latest installment in what will most likely be a long, contentious legal battle between the mayor and federal prosecutors, led by Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District.In September, federal prosecutors announced a five-count indictment against Mr. Adams that included charges of bribery and fraud. Prosecutors have said in court that they might bring additional charges against the mayor and others.Mr. Adams has pleaded not guilty and has asked the federal judge overseeing the case, Dale E. Ho, to issue sanctions against prosecutors after accusing them of leaking information about the investigation to reporters. Prosecutors were expected to file a response later on Friday to the allegations that they had leaked information.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      New York Can Do Better Than Andrew Cuomo

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      There are many ways for New York City to turn the page on Mayor Eric Adams.None of them need to include Andrew Cuomo, the disgraced former governor now plotting a comeback as mayor. Yet he is working the phones right now, trying to persuade donors and New York Democrats to back him for mayor in a special election if Mr. Adams resigns in the wake of his recent indictment. It is up to Democratic leaders as well as voters to make it clear that Mr. Cuomo has no political future — not as a replacement for Mr. Adams, and not in any vainglorious attempt to return to the governor’s office, either.Before abjectly resigning in 2021, having been accused in a state attorney general report of sexually harassing 11 women, Mr. Cuomo did some things well as governor. He was adept at slashing through the state’s thicket of bureaucracy to finish big infrastructure projects. New York’s airports are much improved, for example, for which Mr. Cuomo deserves credit.The press briefings he held during the pandemic defending public health measures, like mask mandates and vaccinations, were a balm of responsible leadership during the Trump presidency. They were undermined, however, when the public later learned that Mr. Cuomo’s officials had helped cover up the deaths of more than 4,000 people who had died of Covid in nursing homes.But after nearly four years of visionless mediocrity and cronyism, New York City needs a mayor who is deeply ethical and treats his staff with respect. It needs a mayor who puts the priorities of the public above his own political ambition and personal interest. It needs a mayor, in fact, who likes living in New York City.None of that describes Mr. Cuomo, whose toxic bullying of state employees was legendary in Albany, whose trampling of fundamental ethics was continuous. If he does run for mayor, the public will need answers to some basic questions, including who is funding his campaign and when and how he established residency in New York City. For years, he lived in Albany and Westchester.The 2020 report from Letitia James, the state attorney general, found Mr. Cuomo had sexually harassed numerous women who worked for him in his role as governor, then used the powers of that office to punish women who complained, an abuse of power. In a state with a normally functioning Democratic Party, a governor forced to resign amid serious allegations of sexual harassment wouldn’t be the first choice to replace a mayor under criminal indictment.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Investigators Search N.Y.P.D. School Safety Offices in Bribery Inquiry

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      The search, and the seizure of a police official’s phone, were part of a welter of federal investigations into Mayor Eric Adams and his inner circle.Federal agents searched the offices of the Police Department’s School Safety Division on Thursday as part of an inquiry into a possible bribery scheme involving city contracts, one of four federal investigations swirling around Mayor Eric Adams, people with knowledge of the matter said.The agents also seized the cellphone of the School Safety Division’s former commanding officer in actions related to a company called SaferWatch, which sells panic button systems to schools and police departments around the United States, the people said.The bribery investigation has focused on a consulting firm run by the brother of two top officials in the Adams administration who both resigned in the weeks after the mayor was indicted last month in a separate federal corruption investigation.Tracking Charges and Investigations in Eric Adams’s OrbitFive corruption inquiries have reached into the world of Mayor Eric Adams of New York. Here is a closer look at the charges against Mr. Adams and how people with ties to him are related to the inquiries.The consulting firm, the Pearl Alliance, counted SaferWatch among its clients. It was formed by Terence Banks, a retired subway supervisor, in 2022. At the time, his older brothers, Philip B. Banks III and David Banks, were the deputy mayor for public safety and schools chancellor, respectively, two of the highest-ranking officials in the mayor’s administration.In early September, federal agents and city investigators seized the phones of all three men, as well as the phones of other top administration officials — including Sheena Wright, the former first deputy mayor and wife of David Banks. Philip and David Banks and Ms. Wright all resigned in the weeks after the phone seizures.SaferWatch did not have a foothold in New York City contracting before 2023, city records show. The Police Department subsequently conducted a small $67,000 pilot program with SaferWatch and decided not to move forward with its service.A company spokesman could not be reached for comment on Thursday night. The search by federal agents was earlier reported by The New York Post.The actions on Thursday came a day after The New York Times reported on yet another investigation into members of the mayor’s inner circle — conducted by the office of the Manhattan district attorney and the city’s Department of Investigation.The bribery investigation concerning city contracts is being conducted by the United States attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, the same office that indicted Mr. Adams on corruption charges, and the city’s Department of Investigation. Representatives of the two agencies declined to comment.The former commanding officer of the Police Department’s School Safety Division whose phone was seized on Thursday was placed on modified assignment, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.The inspector, Kevin L. Taylor, could not immediately be reached for comment. The leader of the union that represents him also could not be reached for comment.Representatives of the two agencies and the Police Department declined to comment. More

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      City Hall Official Charged With Witness Tampering in Adams Inquiry

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      Mohamed Bahi, who worked in the mayor’s office of community affairs, was accused of instructing witnesses to lie to federal authorities.F.B.I. agents on Tuesday morning arrested Mayor Eric Adams’s former senior chief liaison to the Muslim community on federal witness tampering and destruction of evidence charges that grew out of the investigation leading to the mayor’s indictment last month.The liaison, Mohamed Bahi, was charged in a criminal complaint in connection with unlawful contributions made to Mr. Adams’s 2021 mayoral campaign, officials said.Mr. Bahi instructed witnesses to lie to federal authorities conducting the investigation, Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.Mr. Bahi, who on Monday resigned from his position as senior chief liaison, was expected to appear in court later in the day.Tracking Charges and Investigations in Eric Adams’s OrbitFour federal corruption inquiries have reached into the world of Mayor Eric Adams of New York. Here is a closer look at the charges against Mr. Adams and how people with ties to him are related to the inquiries.This is a developing story and will be updated. More

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      Sheena Wright, Eric Adams’s Deputy Mayor, Resigns

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      Sheena Wright, the first deputy mayor of New York City, became the seventh senior leader to leave the administration in the past few weeks.Sheena Wright, a longtime ally of Mayor Eric Adams, has resigned from her post as first deputy mayor, according to people with knowledge of the matter, making her the seventh senior official to leave the administration during a time of crisis in New York City government.Ms. Wright is expected to be replaced by Maria Torres-Springer, the mayor’s current deputy mayor for housing, economic development and work force, according to those people. One of the people said Ms. Wright planned to serve until the end of the month. Mr. Adams is expected to make the announcement before his regular Tuesday media availability.“We are grateful for First Deputy Mayor Wright’s years of service to the city and all she has done to deliver for children, families, and working-class New Yorkers,” Mr. Adams said in a statement that was expected to be circulated on Tuesday. “She is an exceptional leader who assembled a strong team and constantly demonstrated a bold vision for this city.”News of Ms. Wright’s departure comes two weeks after federal prosecutors unsealed a five-count corruption indictment against the mayor.It also follows the resignation announcements of her brother-in-law, Philip B. Banks III, the deputy mayor for public safety, and her husband, David C. Banks, the schools chancellor.On Sept. 4, federal investigators seized the phones of both men, Ms. Wright, and several other senior administration officials. With Ms. Wright’s resignation, all of those people have since stepped down or announced plans to.Tracking Charges and Investigations in Eric Adams’s OrbitFour federal corruption inquiries have reached into the world of Mayor Eric Adams of New York. Here is a closer look at the charges against Mr. Adams and how people with ties to him are related to the inquiries.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      David Banks, N.Y.C. Schools Chancellor, Moves Up His Departure

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      The chancellor, who previously announced that he would step down at the end of December, will instead leave the job on Oct. 16. Melissa Aviles-Ramos, a top deputy, will succeed him.David C. Banks will step down as the New York City schools chancellor on Oct. 16, months earlier than he had previously said he would, City Hall announced on Wednesday.In recent weeks, Mr. Banks has been swept up in a wide-ranging corruption scandal, which has resulted in the indictment of Mayor Eric Adams and has also involved Mr. Banks’s brothers Philip Banks III and Terence Banks, and his wife, Sheena Wright, the first deputy mayor, as well as other members of the mayor’s inner circle.The Banks brothers and Ms. Wright had their phones seized by federal agents in early September as part of an investigation into a consulting firm run by Terence Banks.The announcement on Wednesday came just hours after federal prosecutors told a judge that they might bring additional charges against the mayor and that charges against other people were likely. The chancellor has not been charged with any crimes and has maintained that he has done nothing wrong.In a statement on Wednesday, he did not address the change in timing of his departure from the role, but he reiterated that he had been told that he was not a target of the federal investigation involving the mayor.“I have conducted myself with integrity for almost 40 years, educating New York City’s young students,” he said. “My record and my reputation speaks for itself.”Tracking Charges and Investigations in Eric Adams’s OrbitFour federal corruption inquiries have reached into the world of Mayor Eric Adams of New York. Here is a closer look at the charges against Mr. Adams and how people with ties to him are related to the inquiries.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Tim Pearson, Adams Confidant, Resigns Amid Corruption Investigations

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      Few people in city government were closer to Mayor Eric Adams than Timothy Pearson, who had a role in handling migrant shelter contracts.One of Mayor Eric Adams’ closest aides and confidants resigned on Monday, less than a week after the mayor was indicted on corruption charges — and nearly a month after federal agents seized the aide’s phones in a separate corruption inquiry, according to a resignation letter his lawyer said had been sent to the mayor.The aide, Timothy Pearson, had a broad portfolio that included dealing with contracts for migrant shelters and focusing on public safety. He is the fifth senior member of the mayor’s administration to announce his departure in the past three weeks.In the letter, Mr. Pearson thanked the mayor and lauded the administration’s accomplishments.“As I look ahead to the next chapter of my life, I’ve decided to focus on family, self-care and new endeavors,” he wrote.A retired Police Department inspector, Mr. Pearson is also a defendant in four sexual harassment lawsuits filed by subordinates, and he is the subject of two separate inquiries by the New York City Department of Investigation. He was among the several senior administration officials whose phones were seized by federal investigators on Sept. 4.Tracking Charges and Investigations in Eric Adams’s OrbitFour federal corruption inquiries have reached into the world of Mayor Eric Adams of New York. Here is a closer look at the charges against Mr. Adams and how people with ties to him are related to the inquiries.Some members of the Adams administration had for weeks been pressing for the resignations of Mr. Pearson and others whose phones had been seized.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      NYC Fire Department Chief to Plead Guilty to Bribery Charge, U.S. Says

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      Brian E. Cordasco was one of two former high-ranking officials arrested earlier this month and charged with soliciting and receiving bribes to speed up safety approvals.A former chief of the New York Fire Department, who was arrested earlier this month and accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to speed up the fire-safety approval process, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of bribery conspiracy, federal prosecutors said on Monday.The former chief, Brian E. Cordasco, had been involved in plea negotiations with the government before deciding to plead guilty, according to a letter federal prosecutors sent on Monday to Judge Lewis J. Liman of Federal District Court in Manhattan. Prosecutors hoped to schedule a plea hearing for early October.Lawyers for Mr. Cordasco did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.Mr. Cordasco and Anthony M. Saccavino, another retired chief who was also arrested in September, were responsible for overseeing fire safety approvals of large-scale building projects. From 2021 to 2023, the former chiefs solicited and received bribes that involved 30 different projects citywide, according to the six-count indictment.The retired fire chiefs were both charged with bribery and bribery conspiracy; honest services wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy; and making false statements, including to the F.B.I. during interviews in February. Mr. Saccavino has pleaded not guilty to the charges.The alleged scheme happened during a time when there were long waits, exacerbated by the pandemic, for projects that needed site inspections and approval for fire safety plans. The Fire Department’s policy in most cases has been to review plans and do inspections in the order in which they were requested.The projects Mr. Cordasco and Mr. Saccavino fast-tracked included a high-end restaurant in Manhattan, an apartment building in Brooklyn and two hotels near Kennedy Airport in Queens, according to prosecutors.In February, both men were placed on modified duty and removed from their positions at the Fire Department’s Bureau of Fire Prevention after searches of their homes.In 2023, the Fire Department paid Mr. Cordasco $257,296 and Mr. Saccavino $263,478, prosecutors said.In the letter filed Monday, prosecutors said that they had made an offer to Mr. Cordasco under which he would plead guilty to count one and that they understood from his lawyers that he intended to accept that offer.Decisions to plead guilty are subject to change, and a defendant like Mr. Cordasco could decide at the last minute that he wants to fight the charges.The decision comes shortly after Mayor Eric Adams of New York was charged with bribery and fraud in a federal corruption investigation. Mr. Adams was charged with five counts, including one count of bribery related to accusations that he solicited free and heavily discounted foreign luxury travel in exchange for helping to obtain approval by Fire Department officials of a new Turkish consulate.There was no indication that the case involving Mr. Cordasco and Mr. Saccavino was related to any of the federal corruption investigations swirling around the mayor, his campaign and some of his most senior aides.Tracking Charges and Investigations in Eric Adams’s OrbitFour federal corruption inquiries have reached into the world of Mayor Eric Adams of New York. Here is a closer look at the charges against Mr. Adams and how people with ties to him are related to the inquiries. More

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      Lie-Flat Seats and Chilled Champagne: Testing Eric Adams’s Upgrade Life

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      Life is grand in the Bentley Suite at the St. Regis Istanbul, with its marble floors and walk-in closet, its 24-hour butler service, and its views stretching all the way to the blue waters of the Bosporus.The Bentley suite at the St. Regis Hotel in Istanbul is named for the luxury car, and the light fixture over the bed is said to evoke the undulations of the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. The light sculpture suspended above the vast bed, where New York Mayor Eric Adams slept in 2017, is said to evoke the undulations of the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. The complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries on the coffee table are dusted with crushed pistachios and nestled on a bed of delicately crumbled cookies. The curved leather sofa has two built-in Champagne coolers that light up and open at the press of a button.The sofa in the Bentley Suite has two embedded Champagne coolers that open at the touch of a button.If you were to think about New York City (but why would you?) while reclining on your private balcony and gazing at the Gucci store across the street, you might be struck by the notion that the suite is roughly three times the size of your first apartment.The suite comes with a terrace with views over the city. We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More