US federal judge dismisses criminal case against NYC Mayor Eric Adams

Listen to article

A US federal judge has permanently dismissed the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, weeks after the Trump administration instructed prosecutors to drop the corruption charges.

The decision came after Manhattan's top federal prosecutor resigned, accusing Adams of striking a deal with the Trump administration to have his case dismissed in exchange for supporting immigration enforcement policies.

The case was dismissed "with prejudice," meaning the Department of Justice cannot revive the charges against Adams using the same evidence.

Adams faced charges of conspiracy, fraud, soliciting illegal campaign contributions, and bribery, which he had denied. Last September, Adams was accused of accepting gifts worth over $100,000 from Turkish citizens in exchange for favours.

US District Judge Dale Ho, who made the ruling on Wednesday, explained that the Justice Department had not opposed Adams' motion for permanent dismissal.

He emphasised that allowing the case to be revived would create the "unavoidable perception" that the mayor's freedom depended on his ability to carry out the Trump administration's immigration enforcement priorities, making him potentially more beholden to federal demands than to his own constituents.

In February, acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove ordered New York prosecutors to drop the case against Adams, arguing it "restricted" his ability to address "illegal immigration and violent crime," which were key goals of the Trump administration.

However, Manhattan's former top prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, refused to comply, accusing Adams' team of offering a "quid pro quo," where the mayor would help with administration policies if the indictment were dropped.

Sassoon and six other high-level Justice Department officials resigned over the controversy, asserting that there was no legal basis for dismissing the case.

Following the dismissal, Adams' attorney, Alex Spiro, stated, "The case should have never been brought in the first place. From Day 1, the mayor has maintained his innocence and now justice for Eric Adams and New Yorkers has prevailed."