New York Mayor Eric Adams is expected to face federal charges

New York Mayor Eric Adams is expected to face charges in federal court as early as Thursday by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, two sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday evening.

The charges were not immediately clear. Spokespeople for the FBI and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.

In a statement released Wednesday evening, Adams said: “I always knew that if I stood up for New Yorkers, I would be a target – and I was. If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight it with all my strength and determination.”

The Adams administration had already been rocked by a series of high-ranking resignations in the wake of at least four federal investigations.

Adams has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

One of the investigations is expected to focus on whether Adams’ mayoral campaign colluded with the Turkish government to obtain illegal campaign contributions from abroad. As part of that investigation, the FBI raided the Brooklyn home of Adams’ top fundraiser last year.

Federal investigators are also looking into whether Adams pressured the city’s fire chief to approve the construction of a new building for the Turkish consulate despite safety concerns.

Adams was still Brooklyn borough president when he approached then-Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro shortly after winning the 2021 Democratic primary for mayor, according to sources familiar with the matter. Adams encouraged Nigro to explore a request from the Turkish government to use the building, which had not yet opened because fire officials had refused to certify that it was safe to use.

As part of the investigation, Adams’ phones were seized and FBI agents have interviewed Nigro as a witness at least twice, sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. (Nigro has not commented.)

Federal investigators this month raided the homes of several high-ranking officials close to Adams and seized their cellphones. Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who was among those whose cellphone was seized, resigned on Sept. 12.

Authorities also seized the phone of Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former police officer who owns a nightclub security company. Federal investigators are looking into whether bars and clubs in Midtown Manhattan and Queens paid James Caban to serve as a police liaison and whether those clubs then received special treatment from local precinct authorities, sources familiar with the matter say.

The Adams administration is also under investigation for public corruption, as well as another federal investigation that led to a search of the homes of Adams’ former director of Asian affairs.

Before news of the federal indictment broke on Wednesday, Adams attended a reception at the Metropolitan Museum of Art attended by President Joe Biden. Adams also appeared on local television to answer questions live from New York viewers.

The expected indictment puts the city government in a dire position, said Douglas Muzzio, a longtime political science professor at Baruch College who retired last year.

“Who is in charge? What is the political direction?” asked Muzzio. “With so many people already resigning, the city authorities are somewhat leaderless.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.) called on Adams to resign.

“I don’t see how Mayor Adams can continue to govern New York City,” Ocasio-Cortez said on X. “The flood of resignations and vacancies threatens the functioning of government. Continuous investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration. For the good of the city, he should resign.”

City Treasurer Brad Lander, who is running for mayor, also called on Adams to resign.

“Mayor Adams, like all New Yorkers, is entitled to due process, the presumption of innocence and his day in court,” Lander said on X. “However, it is clear that defending himself against serious federal charges will require a significant amount of the time and attention required to govern this great city. The best course of action is for him to resign so that New York City can receive the full attention his leadership demands.”