New York Mayor Adams indicted in federal corruption investigation amid calls to resign

Investigators focusing on Adams's campaign ties with foreign entities, particularly contributions from Turkiye.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted as part of a wide-reaching federal corruption investigation, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first sitting mayor of the city to face criminal charges.

The indictment, reported by several US media outlets, remains under seal, leaving the specific charges unclear for now.

According to The New York Times, federal investigators are focusing on Adams's campaign ties with foreign entities, particularly allegations of illegal contributions from Turkiye.

Adams, a retired NYPD captain and the city’s second Black mayor, has previously highlighted his connections to the Turkish community in New York and his visits to Turkiye, as well as his meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his tenure as Brooklyn borough president.

In a video statement released on Wednesday, Adams denied any wrongdoing, declaring, “It is now my belief that the federal government intends to charge me with federal crimes.

If so, these charges will be entirely false, based on lies.” He went on to claim that he had become a target due to his leadership stance, and pledged to fight the charges.

Adams has been under federal scrutiny for several months.

In November, FBI agents seized his electronic devices in a public encounter with his security detail on a New York City street. Additionally, a number of high-ranking city officials, including NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and the city’s health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, have resigned recently, adding to the turmoil surrounding the mayor’s office.

The indictment represents a dramatic fall for Adams, who campaigned as the city’s "first blue-collar mayor" and won the 2021 mayoral race on a platform to restore safety and New York City's prominence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adams, expected to run for re-election in 2025, does not have to resign due to the indictment

However, some political figures, including US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have already called for his resignation.

Ocasio-Cortez cited "nonstop investigations" and a "flood of resignations" within Adams’s administration as reasons for him to step down.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander echoed these concerns, stating that Adams’s legal battle would distract from his duties. Lander emphasized the importance of the mayor focusing on governance, suggesting that the best path forward would be for Adams to resign.

Adams has pushed back against these calls, accusing his critics of engaging in "phony politics" and hypocrisy, particularly targeting those who have championed prison reform but now demand his resignation without formal charges being publicly revealed.

The federal investigation, which has already led to the seizure of devices from several key figures in Adams's administration, has thrown his tenure into uncertainty.

With more details expected to emerge in the coming days, the political landscape of New York City is bracing for further fallout from the charges.

This indictment marks a major challenge for the embattled mayor, as his political future hangs in the balance amid growing legal pressure and calls for his resignation.