Another major critic of Joe Biden has found himself in the crosshairs of a federal investigation. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on at least one federal criminal charge, according to multiple sources familiar with the case.
The New York Times first broke the news of the indictment.
Eric Adams, a retired police captain who was elected as New York City’s 110th mayor nearly three years ago on a promise to rein in crime, has been indicted in a federal corruption investigation, people with knowledge of the matter said.
The indictment remained sealed on Wednesday night, and it was unclear what charge or charges Mr. Adams will face. But the federal investigation has focused at least in part on whether Mr. Adams and his campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign donations.
When the indictment is made public, Mr. Adams, a Democrat, will become the first New York City mayor to face a federal charge while in office. It was not clear when he will surrender to the authorities. Federal prosecutors were expected to announce more details on Thursday.
The indictment promised to reverberate across the nation’s largest city and beyond, plunging Mr. Adams’s embattled administration further into chaos just months before he is set to face challengers in a hotly contested mayoral primary.
The indictment stems from a months-long federal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, which reportedly focused on Adams’ ties to Turkish officials and businessmen, as well as the campaign donations he received. The specific charges remain undisclosed.
Adams has consistently denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that he instructed his campaign and administration to strictly adhere to the law.
“I always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target – and a target I became. If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit,” Adams said, responding to the news on Wednesday night.
The New York City mayor has been one of Joe Biden’s fiercest critics on immigration. Last year, explaining that Biden’s policies were straining the city’s resources, Adams said, “It’s a real embarrassment, I believe, on a national level, and we must have an appropriate response. We have had conversations around the issues on migrants for decades. This is a national issue. It must have a national response.”
According to sources familiar with the case who spoke with CNN, the mayor is expected to have several days to voluntarily surrender. He is not expected to appear in court on Thursday. Prosecutors had previously informed his attorneys that if charges were filed, he would be required to turn himself in at a later date.
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