New York Mayor Eric Adams surrendered to authorities at federal court in Manhattan after a five-count indictment was announced by federal prosecutors. The charges include fraud, bribery, and corruption.
Adams' attorney confirmed that the FBI seized his phone before the charges were made public but he was not immediately taken into custody.
The 64-year-old mayor is accused of soliciting illegal campaign donations from foreign entities and falsifying paper trails to conceal the activity. The indictment, spanning 57 pages, alleges that Adams defrauded taxpayers of $10 million over the past decade and accepted free or heavily discounted vacations funded by foreign benefactors.
In response, Adams released a video statement refuting the charges as 'entirely false' and 'based on lies.' He suggested that his criticism of the Biden administration's immigration policies may have made him a target for retaliation.
During a news briefing, investigators dismissed claims of political motivation behind the case. Adams later held another briefing with supporters urging the public to allow due process to unfold, despite interruptions from hecklers.
The mayor is facing charges including conspiracy to receive campaign contributions from foreign nationals, wire fraud, soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, and soliciting and accepting a bribe. If convicted on all counts, Adams could potentially face up to 45 years in prison.
