According to sources, charges have been filed against New York Mayor Eric Adams: NPR

New York Mayor Eric Adams speaks to members of the press at a press conference in New York on Monday, September 16, 2024.

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NEW YORK — New York Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a grand jury on federal crimes, two people familiar with the matter say.

The indictment containing the allegations against Democrat Adams was still sealed late Wednesday night, according to the people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan declined to comment. The New York Times was the first to report on the charges.

“I always knew that if I stood up for New Yorkers, I would be a target – and I was,” Adams said in a statement that suggested he had not been informed of the charges. “If I am charged, I am innocent and will fight it with all my strength and determination.”

It was not immediately clear when the charges would be made public or when Adams might have to appear in court.

The indictment marks a stunning fall from grace for Adams, a former police captain who won election nearly three years ago to become the second black mayor of the nation’s largest city on a platform that promised a law-and-order approach to reducing crime.

Over the past year, Adams has faced increasing legal dangers, with multiple federal investigations into his top advisers leading to a flurry of subpoenas, searches and high-level departures that have plunged City Hall into crisis.

He had repeatedly stated that he was not aware of any wrongdoing and had promised on Wednesday afternoon to remain in office.

Adams is the first mayor in New York City history to be impeached while in office. If he resigns, he would be replaced by the city’s ombudsman, Jumaane Williams, who would then call a special election.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has the power to remove Adams from office. Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday evening.

Hours before the charges were announced, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called on Adams to resign, becoming the first nationally known Democrat to do so, citing the federal criminal investigation into the mayor’s administration and a series of unexpected departures by senior city officials.

“I don’t see how Mayor Adams can continue to govern New York City,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on the social platform X.

Adams responded with disdain, dismissing Ocasio-Cortez as self-righteous.

The federal investigation into the Adams administration first came to public attention on November 2, 2023, when FBI agents raided the Brooklyn home of Adams’ chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, in the early morning hours.

At the time, Adams insisted he was following the law and said he would be “shocked” if anyone on his campaign team had acted illegally. “I can’t tell you how many times I start every day by telling my team that we have to follow the law,” he told reporters at the time.

Days later, FBI agents seized the mayor’s phones and iPad as he left an event in Manhattan. The interaction was disclosed several days later by the mayor’s attorney.

Then, on September 4, federal investigators seized electronic devices belonging to the police chief, schools chancellor, deputy mayor for public safety, first deputy mayor and other trusted associates of Adams both inside and outside City Hall.

Federal prosecutors declined to comment on the investigation, but people familiar with elements of the cases described several separate investigations involving high-ranking Adams associates and their relatives, campaign fundraising and possible interference with police and fire departments.

A week after the raids, Police Commissioner Edward Caban announced his resignation, telling officers he did not want the investigation to “create a distraction.” About two weeks later, schools chancellor David Banks announced he would retire at the end of the year.

Adams himself insisted that he would continue to take care of the city’s business and let the investigation take its course.

Over the summer, federal prosecutors subpoenaed Adams, his campaign arm and City Hall, demanding information about the mayor’s schedule, his foreign travel and possible ties to the Turkish government.

Adams served for 22 years with the New York City Police Department before entering politics, first as a state senator and then as Brooklyn borough president, a largely ceremonial position.

He was elected mayor in 2021 after defeating a diverse field of Democrats in the primary and then easily defeating Republican Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa in the general election.

After more than two years in office, Adams’ popularity has slipped. While the city has seen an increase in jobs and a decrease in certain crime categories, the administration has been busy finding housing for tens of thousands of international migrants who have overwhelmed the city’s homeless shelters.

In addition, accusations and suspicions against people close to the mayor continued to circulate.

The Manhattan district attorney charged six people — including a former police captain who had long been close to Adams — over an alleged plot to funnel tens of thousands of dollars into the mayor’s campaign by manipulating public grant programs to receive preferential treatment from the city. Adams was not accused of wrongdoing in the case.

Eric Ulrich, Adams’ former chief building security officer, was indicted last year on charges of accepting $150,000 in bribes and improper gifts in exchange for political favors, including access to the mayor. Ulrich has pleaded not guilty and is fighting the charges.

In February, federal investigators raided two properties owned by a close associate of Adams, Winnie Greco. Greco had raised thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the city’s Chinese American communities and later became his director of Asian affairs. Greco has not commented publicly on the FBI’s searches of her properties and continues to work for the city.

When agents seized former police chief Caban’s electronic devices in early September, they also visited his twin brother, James Caban, a former police officer who runs a nightlife consulting business.

Agents also seized devices belonging to the schools chancellor, his brother Philip Banks, a former high-ranking NYPD chief who is now deputy mayor for public safety, her brother Terence Banks, who ran a consulting firm that promised to connect businesses with government officials, and First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, who is David Banks’ partner. All denied any wrongdoing.

While that investigation was underway, federal authorities also searched the homes of newly appointed interim police chief Thomas Donlan and seized materials unrelated to his police work. Donlan confirmed the search and said they were materials that had been in his possession for 20 years. He did not elaborate on what the investigation was about, but a person familiar with the investigation said it had to do with classified documents from the years when Donlan worked for the FBI. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about that investigation.