Mayor Eric Adams pleaded not guilty to charges that he traded political favors for illegal campaign cash and more than $100,000 in lavish travel gifts during his initial appearance in federal court on Friday afternoon.
Adams, the first modern New York City mayor charged with criminal offenses, faces five counts of bribery, wire fraud and soliciting illegal contributions from foreign donors dating back to his time as Brooklyn borough president up through his successful 2021 and ongoing 2025 mayoral campaigns.
Adams stood resolute outside the federal courthouse just before 1 p.m. on Friday following the arraignment. His face was somber as he posed for photos in front of news reporters with roughly 10 law enforcement officials standing behind him.
Prosecutors said Adams could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the top charge of wire fraud. Judge Katharine Parker barred Adams from communicating with witnesses or individuals referred to in the indictment, with exceptions for family and staff.
Adams has denied any wrongdoing and vowed ahead of the court appearance to fight the charges.
“I know I don’t violate the campaign [finance laws],” he said during a press conference outside Gracie Mansion on Thursday. “I know I don’t take money from foreign donors and I verbalize that to the team both in writing and in verbal communications.”
A spokesperson for Adams referred questions Friday to his attorney, Alex Spiro. Spiro did not immediately respond to requests for comment but has condemned the government’s corruption case as an attention grab based on flimsy evidence.
“They don’t have Eric Adams doing anything,” Spiro said.
The indictment, unsealed Thursday, details a yearslong effort by officials and businesspeople with ties to the Turkish government to ply Adams with free or heavily discounted luxury trips around the globe.
After Adams became the presumptive mayor in 2021, those same benefactors began to call in favors that Adams readily obliged, prosecutors said. The indictment details how Adams allegedly pressured the FDNY to approve the opening of a Turkish consulate building despite insufficient safety measures ahead of a visit from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The indictment also describes how Adams’ 2021 and 2025 mayoral campaigns sought and received illegal contributions from foreign nationals and wealthy donors who filtered the money through employees or other intermediaries to skirt campaign finance laws. The donors banked on Adams’ continued rise in politics, with one Turkish businessman predicting he would become president and a useful asset, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say the illegal campaign finance scheme continued after Adams became mayor. The indictment depicts Adams’ alleged efforts to mask the lavish gifts and illegal campaign cash by deleting text messages and changing the passcode on his cellphone before FBI agents seized his devices last year.
Adams is scheduled to return to court for a conference Wednesday.
The indictment caps a monthslong investigation into Adams’ Turkish ties and campaign fundraising that first emerged after federal agents raided the homes of his campaign fundraiser and liaison to the Turkish community, along with the homes and officials of businesspeople connected to the Turkish government.
But the criminal case is just one of several problems faced by the mayor, his advisers and top city deputies.
Federal authorities are investigating ex-NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and other top police officials in connection with a nightlife business operated by Caban’s twin brother James. Edward Caban resigned in the wake of the investigation.
Earlier this month, authorities seized electronic devices from First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and her partner, outgoing Schools Chancellor David Banks, and raided the Queens home of Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, who is David Banks’ brother.
And in yet another probe, Brooklyn federal prosecutors are also investigating Adams’ longtime aide Winnie Greco, a liaison and fundraiser in New York City’s Chinese community.
None of the administration officials have been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the investigations.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the name of the judge who presided (?) over Mayor Eric Adams arraignment.
