NEW YORK CITY–A new court filing alleges federal prosecutors have uncovered possible new illegal activities involving Mayor Eric Adams.
On Monday night, prosecutors submitted a motion that claimed to have found “additional criminal conduct,” although they did not elaborate.
The filing was made to push back a court motion by Adams’s attorney, Alex Spiro, which would require the prosecution to provide a complete list of evidence to be used during the trial. This would include a list of witnesses.
Edward Kim, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District in New York, stated, “Although the Indictment and discovery provide Adams with more than sufficient information as to his alleged co-conspirators and aiders and abettors, law enforcement has continued to identify additional individuals involved in Adams’s conduct, and to uncover additional criminal conduct by Adams.”
Referring to one of the indictments against Adams, Kim said, “The Indictment provides ample cause to believe that as potential witnesses became known to Adams and his allies, measures were taken to influence their testimony.”
Adams responded at a press conference on Jan. 7: “You know, even Ray Charles can see what’s going on, and I have an attorney, Alex Spiro, he is handling that. I’ve said over and over again, I’ve done nothing wrong. Let the attorneys do that. I have to run the city.”
When asked directly if he asked witnesses to delete evidence, he responded, “I do not tell people to commit criminal actions.”
The charges against Adams include conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery, and accepting foreign campaign contributions. Each charge carries potentially severe penalties, including fines and prison time. A conviction could also disqualify him from holding public office in the future.
Adams is also accused of fabricating false financial records and instructing associates on ways to disguise illegal activities.
The mayor is accused of soliciting and demanding bribes, including heavily discounted and free travel benefits from the Turkish official, according to prosecutors. The official had allegedly been seeking Adams’s assistance in evading regulations to commission the Turkish consulate in Manhattan.
A slew of his top advisers and officials have resigned due to involvement in investigations, ranging from allegations of influencing for bribes to alleged sexual misconduct.
The result has been an administration plagued with legal troubles and a revolving door of top administrative staff.
