Federal prosecutors said Wednesday they are pursuing “several related investigations” that could lead to additional corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and indictments for his associates.
Prosecutors made the disclosure as the first-term Democrat attended a court hearing days after he was indicted on charges that he accepted about $100,000 worth of free or deeply discounted international flights, hotel stays, meals and entertainment, and obtained illegal campaign contributions from foreign interests.
The allegations span nearly a decade, dating to when Adams was Brooklyn’s borough president. U.S. District Judge Dale Ho didn’t immediately set a date for his trial, which prosecutors estimated will take about four weeks. Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, asked to hold the trial in March, before an important ballot deadline for next June’s mayoral election.
Prosecutors say Adams’ travel perks were arranged by a senior Turkish diplomatic official in New York and Turkish business people who wanted to gain influence with Adams. The indictment alleges that Adams, a Democrat, also conspired to receive monetary donations to his political campaigns through straw donors from foreign sources who weren’t allowed to give money to U.S. political candidates.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten told Ho that it is “quite likely” prosecutors will seek a superseding indictment and that it is “likely” additional defendants will be charged and “possible” that more charges will be brought against Adams, who pleaded not guilty last week to the current charges against him.
“There are several related investigations here,” Scotten told the judge.
