The charges against Eric Adams, explained

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by federal authorities for allegedly accepting illegal donations and favors from a Turkish government official and Turkish businessmen and providing preferential treatment in return.

The charges follow a months-long investigation by federal prosecutors, who have also examined many of Adams’ current and former employees, including schools Chancellor David Banks and Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who recently resigned after their phones were confiscated. Others close to Adams – including the former head of the public works department and a former police inspector – also faced their own scandals and accusations.

Adams denied breaking the law, saying in a video statement Wednesday: “I am innocent and will fight this with all my strength and will.”

The indictment against Adams released Thursday includes five federal corruption charges. The indictment makes Adams the first sitting mayor of New York City ever to be indicted and is likely to have a significant impact on the upcoming 2025 mayoral election in which he is expected to participate.

Adams was first elected mayor in 2021 and has previously served as Brooklyn Borough President, a state senator and a New York City police officer. He is known for his aggressive efforts as mayor to increase policing and combat crime, as well as his bombastic comments about migrants and his crazy catchphrases about governance. Now his term as a civil servant could be coming to an end.

Below is an overview of what we know about the charges and their implications.

The focus of the indictment is Adams’ mayoral campaigns. They allege that he knowingly accepted illegal donations brokered by a Turkish government official and accepted favors – such as luxury airline tickets – as part of a quid pro quo relationship with the country. Together they paint a picture of a foreign government official cultivating a prominent U.S. politician over a period of years. The fees are:

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, solicit foreign donations, and accept bribes (1 count): Adams is accused of setting up an illegal system to accept foreign donations as part of his mayoral campaign, accepting multiple airline tickets and luxury travel perks from a Turkish government official and Turkish businessmen, and aiding the bypassing of a Turkish consulate building in New York City in exchange for regulatory requirements .

Wire fraud (1 count): Certain campaign contributions in New York City can be matched with public funds to encourage candidates to seek small donations. The indictment alleges that Adams fraudulently solicited matching funds for donations that he knew came from “straw donors,” or donors who funneled money from another source. He is accused of using straw donors in both his 2021 and 2025 campaigns, securing $10 million in public donations.

Request for donation from a foreigner (2 points): U.S. political candidates are barred from accepting donations from foreign nationals, which Adams is accused of doing by knowingly accepting money from Turkish nationals.

Bribery (1 count): This charge is also related to Adams allegedly trading certain travel benefits, such as expensive airline tickets, in order to relax regulatory requirements for a new Turkish consulate building. The building still had to undergo a fire safety inspection before a visit by the Turkish president, and Adams reportedly put pressure on a fire department official to get expedited approval. The benefits he received are said to be worth around $100,000.

Nearly two dozen people are involved in ongoing investigations and litigation against Adams and his associates, not all of them related to corruption.

That investigation includes examining the campaign’s ties to six different countries as well as racketeering and bribery allegations related to a consulting firm run by the sibling of Adams administration officials. Adams and one of his advisers are also accused of sexual misconduct.

Two powerful people with ties to Adams have also been charged so far:

Other officers, including former Police Commissioner Caban, Schools Chancellor Banks, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks and First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, have not yet been charged, but their phones have been confiscated. The homes of Adams’ former chief fundraiser Brianna Suggs, senior adviser Winnie Greco, interim police commissioner Thomas Donlon and a furloughed staffer, Rana Abbasova, were also searched.

Adams does not have to resign because of the charges, experts tell The City news agency.

However, there are ways to potentially force its removal. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has the ability to first suspend and then remove him from office, although the state’s executive branch has rarely used that power.

New York City officials could also create a panel called the “Incapacity Committee,” which would then authorize a group of City Council members to vote on whether Adams is unable to do his job. If two-thirds agreed with this assessment, he would have to resign from his post.

If Adams leaves, Attorney General Jumaane Williams would serve as acting mayor, and a special election for the position would have to be held within 80 days of Adams’ departure.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is among the national lawmakers who have called on Adams to resign. She initially did so ahead of his indictment amid ongoing investigations into other members of his government.

“Ongoing investigations will make it impossible to hire and retain a qualified administration,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. “For the good of the city, he should resign.”

Others who have joined the choir include several New York City Council members such as Tiffany Cabán, Lincoln Restler and Chris Banks.

Adams was expected to run for re-election next year, although general dissatisfaction with his tenure had led several others to join the fight.

Even before the indictment, a closely packed contest was planned that would include current city comptroller Brad Lander, former comptroller Scott Stringer, state senator Zellnor Myrie and state senator Jessica Ramos.

Adams is also in the running and will not have to step down because of his indictment. However, he was not a popular figure before his recent legal troubles – and if he decides to stay in office and in the race, the competition will be difficult for him.