by Luke Cohen and Jonathan Temple
US prosecutors on Thursday accused Democratic New York Mayor Eric Adams of accepting illegal contributions during his municipal campaign from Turkish nationals trying to influence him.
In a 57-page indictment, prosecutors described an alleged scheme dating back to 2014 that primarily helped fund Eric Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign.
Eric Adams reportedly took luxury trips and dined in top restaurants.
In exchange, New York’s mayor pressured city officials to allow the new Turkish consulate, a 36-story building, to open despite security concerns, prosecutors say.
The New York mayor faces five charges and faces decades in prison if convicted.
Eric Adams has denied wrongdoing and said he would contest the charges in court, saying he would not resign.
He is expected to appear in court on Friday at noon (1600 GMT).
Neither the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the president’s office, nor the Turkish embassy in Washington responded to requests for comment.
Eric Adams, a former police officer, is the first New York mayor to face criminal charges during his term.
New York State’s Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, could be impeached, but such a process is complicated, said Bennett Gershman, a professor at Pace University Law School.
(By Bing Guan and Jonathan Allen in New York, Katharine Jackson and Doina Chiacu in Washington, writing by Andy Sullivan; French version by Camille Raynaud)
2024-09-26 23:42:23
#USA #York #mayor #indicted #corruption
