An interesting turn of events has resulted in the arrest of a former New York City official. On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, a former official was arrested for witness tampering and destroying evidence after he was implicated in Mayor Eric Adams’ bribery charges.
This arrest is one in a recent long line of high-profile arrests following the exit of the Adams administration. In June 2024, Mohamed Bahi allegedly encouraged a campaign contributor and businessman to lie to the FBI. Afterward, Bahi resigned as a community relations liaison on Monday, October 7, 2024.
When the FBI raided his house in July 2024, Bahi allegedly erased the encrypted communications software Signal from his cell phone. According to the prosecutors, he allegedly communicated with Adams through the application.
Bahi, who resides in Staten Island, was arrested on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, and is scheduled to appear in a Manhattan federal court. According to the reports, Balhi is yet to announce his legal representative. This is the investigation’s first charge against someone other than Adams.
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What Did Eric Adams Do?
Eric Adams is being charged with five criminal counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, bribery, and solicitation of contributions from foreign nationals. The indictment, which spans a total of 57 pages, dates as far back as 2016 and details several misconducts committed by Adams.
Amid pressure from Governor Kathy Hochul, Adams’ administration is facing instability, with several senior advisers leaving amid investigations. Since late September 2024, more than six people from Eric Adams’ administration have resigned from their positions amid a rash of searches and subpoenas.
Among the recent resignations was the First Deputy Mayor, Sheena Wright, who filed her resignation on Monday, October 7, 2024. Earlier on Sunday, October 6, 2024, Adam announced the resignations of Winnie Greco, who worked as the administration’s director of Asian relations, and Philip Banks, the deputy mayor for public safety.
Groeco was particularly well-known, as her fundraising efforts for Adams have generated criticism.
Details About the Eric Adams Investigation
During his tenure as the president of the New York borough of Brooklyn, Eric Adams allegedly received over $100,000 in luxury travel from Turkish nationals. These travels also include hotel stays, expensive dinners, and aircraft upgrades.
In one instance, Adams reportedly paid $600 for a $7,000 Bentley Room stay at the St. Regis Hotel in Istanbul. Speaking at a news conference, Southern District of New York Attorney General Damian Williams said, “This was a multi-year scheme to buy favor with a single New York City politician on the rise.”
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Williams continued, “The mayor had a duty to disclose these benefits, but, year after year after year, he kept the public in the dark.” Additionally, Adams also allegedly solicited campaign donations from Turkish sources for his mayoral race in 2021.
The Mayor concealed the money’s origins by using straw donors, fabricating paper trails, and keeping the information from the public.
Did the Eric Adams FBI Raid Turn Up Anything?
On the morning of Thursday, September 26, 2024, federal authorities raided Eric Adams’ residence, Gracie Mansion, confiscating his cell phone. This would be the first time Adams had been raided or searched by the authorities, as some members of his administration had also been raided.
In 2023, while he was leaving a Manhattan event, federal authorities confiscated his phones and iPad. Investigators also searched the residences of a prominent Adams campaign donor and a staff member of his administration’s foreign affairs office.
In February 2024, Brooklyn’s U.S. attorney’s office led two separate FBI raids, searching two homes belonging to Greco. Subsequently, in June 2024, Adams, alongside his campaign team and City Hall, was subpoenaed by federal prosecutors.
The subpoena was issued for the FBI to gather evidence on the mayor’s foreign travels and possible ties to the Turkish government. On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, Adams released a pre-recorded video denying all the charges against him. Adams said, “I will fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit.”
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Is Eric Adams Guilty?
On September 27, 2024, Eric Adams pleaded not guilty to his bribery accusation. Adams was indicted for allegedly receiving around $100,000 in free or heavily reduced overseas flights, hotel stays, meals, and entertainment. Despite the bribery allegations and the multiple resignations of members of his administration, Eric Adams has refused to resign.
On Monday, September 30, 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul stated that she is working with the mayor to fill key roles with accountable individuals. Despite her statement, the Democratic governor has the ability and legal authority to remove Adams from his mayoral position.
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