[NYC] Eric Adams - federal indictment

[Smoove_B]

Maybe local-ish news, but anyone that's been following his career shouldn't be surprised:

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on federal criminal charges, the New York Times reported Wednesday, citing sources with knowledge of the matter.

The indictment follows a monthslong federal investigation into campaign fundraising violations and foreign influence. The charges he is facing are not publicly known at this time.

Adams has previously denied any wrongdoing, and he has frequently repeated that he told members of his campaign and administration to follow the law.

[AWS260]

He's so committed to being tough on crime, he's decided to fight crime from the inside.

[hepcat]

[Unagi]

Well great, now I'm gonna need to watch that movie again soon.

[Smoove_B]

I think there's a press conference coming in the next hour, but the story has been updated (original link) quite a few times:

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on five federal charges related to bribery, wire fraud, and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, according to a 57-page indictment unsealed Thursday morning.

He is facing one charge each of bribery and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two charges relating to receiving campaign contributions from foreign nationals. He is also charged with wire fraud.

[$iljanus]

There have been all sorts of articles about "questionable" dealings and relationships swirling around him for a few years so I'm not surprised that it has come to this.

A lot of folks in NYC gov have had records and devices seized but the news stories have pointed out that many of those folks haven't been named in an indictment. Something tells me that a few of them may have had incentive to do the right thing when all good people are called to testify in the coming trial.

For anyone with a NYT subscription here's an article on the people caught up in the investigation.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... tions.html

[Smoove_B]

I'm looking for an article, but apparently the "core" element is that he received illegal / hidden campaign donations from foreign countries and then used the NY program for matching public funds for those supposed "legitimate donations" to increase his campaign coffers even higher. So not only taking in money from foreign sources but then defrauding the public as part of that process.

Enjoy prison.

[$iljanus]

Turkey seems to have been very very good to the mayor.

After reading about the destruction of democracy, political racism, the Orange Guy's future revenge administration, and so on, I'm rather amused and relieved to read about old fashioned bribery and run of the mill corruption.

[Smoove_B]

I'm beginning to think a society focused around having the most money possible might have problems with said money influencing society.

[gilraen]

His entire demeanor was screaming "I am a crook" ever since the early days of his campaign. I'm just surprised it took this long for his "creative accounting" to catch up to him.

[Smoove_B]

More details:

As part of the allegations, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York detailed the undisclosed travel benefits Adams accepted, which totaled more than $100,000.

Item #6 was allowing a new Turkish consular building to open that wouldn't have passed fire code.

Looks like the campaign matching donations from NY taxpayers was somewhere around ~$10 million (page 2 of the PDF above).

I'm sure there was good reasoning.

[Carpet_pissr]

His entire demeanor was screaming "I am a crook" ever since the early days of his campaign. I'm just surprised it took this long for his "creative accounting" to catch up to him.

Same

[Kraken]

Turkey seems to have been very very good to the mayor.

After reading about the destruction of democracy, political racism, the Orange Guy's future revenge administration, and so on, I'm rather amused and relieved to read about old fashioned bribery and run of the mill corruption.

Yeah, I can spare it a slightly raised eyebrow.

[Victoria Raverna]

[hepcat]

Ooof, the more I read about this, the more I realize just how awful Adams is. NPR had a deep dive recently and they covered all the lies he’s issued over the years as well. He’d make a perfect running mate for Trump if he was a Republican…and white.

[$iljanus]

Ooof, the more I read about this, the more I realize just how awful Adams is. NPR had a deep dive recently and they covered all the lies he’s issued over the years to. He’d make a perfect running mate for Trump if he was a Republican…and white.

Well no matter your race, everyone likes some green (or whatever color euros are these days)

[gilraen]

Well no matter your race, everyone likes some green (or whatever color euros are these days)

I assume you mean Turkish lira

[$iljanus]

Well no matter your race, everyone likes some green (or whatever color euros are these days)

I assume you mean Turkish lira

I didn't know they didn't buy into the Eurozone. This forum is very educational!

[Max Peck]

IIRC, Turkey wanted to join the EU, but the EU wouldn't take them.