New York City’s mayor has been charged with taking bribes and illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals.
Eric Adams “solicited and demanded” bribes, including free and heavily discounted luxury travel benefits from a Turkish official, according to an indictment filed by the US attorney’s office in Manhattan.
Adams is the first of New York City’s 110 mayors to be criminally charged while in office. His home was searched by FBI agents earlier on Thursday.
In a press conference held shortly after the indictment was unsealed, Mr Adams again said he would not resign as mayor and asked New Yorkers “to wait to hear our defence before making any judgements”.
“My day-to-day will not change,” he said. “I will continue to do the job for 8.3 million New Yorkers that I was elected to do.
“And the 300,000-plus employees of our city’s government will continue to do their jobs, because this is what we do as New Yorkers.
“This is an unfortunate day, and it’s a painful day. But inside all of that is a day when we will finally reveal why, for 10 months, I’ve gone through this. And I look forward to defending myself.”
A former police officer, Mr Adams was charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery in the five-count indictment.
The indictment alleged Adams also “compounded his gains” from illegal contributions by gaming the city’s matching funds program – which provides matches for small dollar donations.
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