Federal prosecutors have revealed that their investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adams has uncovered “additional criminal conduct,” further complicating the high-profile bribery and corruption case against him. The new claims, disclosed in a court filing late Monday, provide no specifics but suggest that the investigation is far from over.
The mayor, who was indicted in September on charges of accepting luxury travel from Turkish officials in exchange for political favors, now faces even more serious scrutiny. The latest filing from the Southern District of New York states that the investigation has led to the identification of new individuals involved and uncovered more criminal activity tied to Adams, without elaborating further.
Responding to the new claims, Adams was quick to deny any involvement in criminal conduct. “Even Ray Charles can see what’s going on here,” the mayor said on Tuesday, dismissing the allegations as politically motivated. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Adams’s attorney, Alex Spiro, also fired back, calling the prosecutors’ latest filing “amateur hour.” “They’re just looking for a headline,” Spiro said. “I’m confident New Yorkers aren’t falling for this.” However, according to recent polls, a significant majority of New Yorkers believe that Mayor Eric Adams has engaged in some form of criminal activity. Specifically, around three-quarters of respondents in a New York Times/Siena College poll believe he acted either illegally or unethically. Additionally, a Marist poll found that 65 percent of residents believe he has done something illegal.
Spiro has repeatedly argued that the government lacks the evidence to support further charges, despite prosecutors’ claims that they are moving quickly to expand the case. “This is just a distraction,” Spiro said. “They’re trying to make a spectacle out of something that’s not there.”
Prosecutors, for their part, maintain that they have already provided Adams’s defense team with ample information through extensive discovery. They also warned that releasing additional details at this stage could interfere with the ongoing investigation.
“Adams is fully aware of the charges against him,” prosecutors wrote, referring to his public statements about the case and his detailed responses to the bribery allegations.
The case is scheduled to go to trial in April.
