In another recent development surrounding Mayor Adams, an aide was suspended following allegations of inappropriate conduct, including urging City Hall staffers to delete text messages. This came to light after the FBI raided the home of Rana Abbasova, the Director of Protocol in the Office for International Affairs, sources close to the federal investigation reported.
Adams’ lawyers, upon learning of Abbasova’s efforts to erase text exchanges, suspended her from her $80,000-a-year position. Following this, federal investigators, probing alleged fundraising irregularities linked to Mayor Adams, secured a court warrant to examine Adams’ mobile devices. They sought to determine if Adams had received any communications from Abbasova. However, it was confirmed that the mayor did not receive such a message and that any interactions between them were unrelated to the ongoing investigation.
The FBI’s investigation is focusing on whether Adams’ campaign collaborated with the Turkish government to secure foreign donations. Investigators are examining the possibility of a conspiracy to use “straw donors” to channel illegal foreign funds into Adams’ campaign in exchange for favors. This includes inquiries into the fast-tracking of permits for a new Turkish Consulate, which previously failed safety inspections.
As part of this extensive probe, the homes of individuals linked to Mayor Adams were also searched. This included not only Abbasova, who is originally from Azerbaijan, but also Cenk Ocal, a former Turkish Airlines executive involved in Adams’ transition team. Additionally, Brianna Suggs, a campaign consultant and lobbyist for the mayor, was also implicated when her home was raided.
It’s important to note that neither Mayor Adams nor any members of his campaign team have been formally accused of wrongdoing. The investigations into Abbasova, Ocal, and Suggs are ongoing, with no charges filed against them at this time. The suspension of Abbasova follows a City Hall review, which concluded that she had “acted improperly,” though details of her alleged attempt to delete text exchanges only emerged later.
