NEW YORK - New York City Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded not guilty to federal bribery charges and other counts in a case that has roiled the nation’s biggest city after months of investigations, searches and subpoenas.
The Democratic mayor gave cameras a thumbs up as he arrived in court Friday on charges of accepting illegal campaign contributions and gifts from those seeking to influence city government.
Eric Adams arrives to court Friday around 8:50 a.m.
After listening to Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker describe the charges against him, Adams said, "I am not guilty, your honor."
His lawyer, Alex Spiro, told reporters that he would be filing a motion to dismiss the case next week.
"This case isn't even a real case. This is the ‘airline upgrade corruption case,'" he said.
The indictment unsealed Thursday alleges that Adams accepted various improper gifts from officials and businesspeople from Turkey and other foreign countries. These bribes free hotel stays and discounted flights to several countries, such as France and China.
READ THE FULL INDICTMENT HERE
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In return, prosecutors claim Adams facilitated approvals for Turkey to build a new diplomatic tower in Manhattan, despite fire safety concerns.
Adams has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that accepting travel perks is common for government officials and that he never knowingly took illegal contributions. He maintains that his assistance to those navigating city bureaucracy was part of his official duties.
List of names, investigations tied to Eric Adams
Adams has been indicted on federal charges. Several key figures in his circle are tied to ongoing federal corruption investigations. Here are the names and who they are.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams charged with selling his influence to foreign nationals
Investigators allege that " for nearly a decade, Adams sought and accepted improper valuable benefits such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him."
What are the charges?
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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.
- Count 1: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Federal Program Bribery, and to Receive Campaign Contributions By Foreign Nationals
- Count 2: Wire Fraud
- Count 3: Solicitation of a Contribution by a Foreign National
- Count 4: Solicitation of a Contribution by a Foreign National
- Count 5: Bribery
Eric Adams and Alex Spiro
What is Adams accused of?
Adams is accused of, among other allegations:
- Raking in more than $10,000 from illegal contributions by using false certifications to game the city’s matching funds program, which provides a generous match for small dollar donations.
- Working with a Turkish senior official who "facilitated many straw donations" to Adams and arranged for Adams and his companions to receive free or discounted travel on Turkey’s national airline to destinations including France, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hungary, and Turkey.
- "Solicit[ing] and demand[ing]" bribes, including free and heavily discounted luxury travel benefits from a Turkish official. who was seeking Adams’ help pertaining to regulations of the Turkish consulate in Manhattan.
- Failing to disclose his free and discounted travel, creating a false paper trail to suggest he had paid it, claiming to a staffer that he deleted his text messages and directed the staffer to ensure his activities in Turkey in 2021 were shielded from public view.