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Mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal charges
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has vowed to stay in office after federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing him of letting Turkish officials and businesspeople buy his influence with illegal campaign contributions and lavish overseas trips. The five-count indictment made public Thursday outlines a trail of alleged corruption that prosecutors say started when the Democratic former police captain served as an elected official in Brooklyn and continued through his mayoral administration.
NEW YORK - A Brooklyn real estate magnate pleaded guilty Friday to working with a Turkish government official to funnel illegal campaign contributions to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Illegal straw donations to Adam's mayoral campaign
What we know:
Erden Arkan, 76, admitted Friday in Manhattan federal court to reimbursing employees of his construction firm for donations made to Mayor Adams’ campaign. The donations were then used to fraudulently obtain public matching funds under the city’s campaign finance program.
"When I wrote the checks, I knew the Eric Adams campaign would use the checks to apply for public matching funds," Arkan said in court.
The scheme allegedly involved a Turkish consular official, with prosecutors presenting evidence including recordings and emails. Arkan hosted a fundraiser in May 2021 at the headquarters of his construction company, KSK, where 10 employees contributed between $1,200 and $1,500 each. These contributions were later reimbursed by Arkan, rendering them illegal straw donations.
Adams then allegedly used those funds to fraudulently obtain public money under the city’s matching funds program, which provides a generous match for small-dollar donations, prosecutors allege.
The backstory:
Arkan is the first individual to pubically plead guilty in a sprawling federal indictment brought against Adams in September.
A well-known member of New York’s Turkish community, Arkan’s ties to Adams first emerged in November 2023 after federal investigators searched the businessman's home, along with the home of Adams’ chief fundraiser and his liaison to the Turkish community.
The indictment accuses Adams of soliciting the illegal contributions during an April 2021 dinner with Arkan and the Turkish official. Prosecutors also allege Adams accepted luxury travel benefits and other bribes from foreign nationals seeking to influence his administration.
Adams has pleaded not guilty and vowed to remain in office as he fights the charge "with every ounce of my strength and my spirit."
Adams is set to stand trial April 21st. Arkan will be sentenced in August.
The Source: Written with data from The Associated Press.