New York Mayor Eric Adams Surrenders, Pleads Not Guilty After Bribery, Fraud Charges

By Jordan Pagkalinawan

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has surrendered to federal agents following accusations that he accepted bribes and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish leaders in exchange for working on their behalf. He is the first sitting New York mayor to be indicted and, as of 12:30 p.m. EST, plead not guilty to charges of bribery and fraud.

Adams was previously accused of taking bribes from Turkish officials, among them cheap upgraded flights and free hotel stays dating back to 2014, according to The New York Times. Those same officials reportedly encouraged Adams to accept over $100,000 in illegal foreign donations during his mayoral campaign in 2021, per the Times.

“ERIC ADAMS, the defendant, sought and accepted illegal campaign contributions in the form of ‘nominee’ or ‘straw’ contributions, meaning that the true contributors conveyed their money through nominal donors, who falsely certified they were contributing their own money,” the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday, stated. “As a result of those false certifications, ADAMS’s 2021 mayoral campaign received more than $10,000,000 in public funds.”

Among the politicians who discussed Adams’ indictment was Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, who wrote in a statement, “No one is above the law, including the mayor of New York City. The legal process should now play out speedily and fairly.”

 Adams has deflected any calls to resign.