By Rajika Chauhan
Staff Writer
The FBI has opened up a probe into the campaign finances of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, alleging the improper sourcing of funds from parties associated with the Turkish government and financiers. While Adams himself is not under investigation for criminal wrongdoing, accusations of corruption surrounding members of his campaign team and political allies spell further trouble for what has already been a fraught two years of mayorship.
Adams has a long-standing history of outreach and friendship with both the Turkish diaspora in New York City and members of the Turkish government itself, reaching back to his tenure as Brooklyn Borough President, according to reporting by Politico. This relationship has included regular appearances at events for the Turkish Consulate and to celebrate the city’s Turkish-American community, six visits to Turkey, the signing of sister-city agreements and the receipt of donations from several powerful Turkish-American groups and companies. In all, Adams attended more than 80 events for Turkey in the span of eight years, an especially warm relationship that the Mayor and his office claim is simply part of a program of community outreach, as indicated by the New York Times.
FBI officials and federal investigators are seeking evidence of illegal campaign contributions from several prominent groups associated with Turkey, and the possibility of an exchange of favors or services from the Adams administration in return. Particular notice is being paid to the building of a new consulate building for the Turkish government in Manhattan, as well as Adams’ ties to a construction company owned by Turkish immigrants.
ABC News writes that the Turkish Consulate, also known as the Turkevi Center, is a $300 million, 35-story tower in Manhattan, inaugurated in September of 2021. The building is one of Turkey’s most expensive foreign constructions, and was subject to controversy amongst its populace amidst frustrations over high housing costs. It is alleged that Turkish officials asked Adams to contact then Fire Department Commissioner Dan Nigro and accelerate the building process, despite multiple structural and safety violations. The FBI seized the mayor’s electronic devices, including cell phones and laptops, last week in an attempt to recover such correspondence.
Adams denied wrongdoing in a statement to the Times, claiming that such outreach was common practice in his time as Brooklyn Borough president: “As a borough president, part of my routine role was to notify government agencies of issues on behalf of constituents and constituencies. I have not been accused of wrongdoing, and I will continue to cooperate with investigators.”
Adams was at the time the candidate-elect for the Democratic Party in the city’s mayoral race, and thus expected to win the position given the city’s heavily-Democrat majority, as per Politico. As a representative for Brooklyn, he would have had little professional responsibility for the building of a consulate in Manhattan.
Additionally, KSK Construction, a Brooklyn based building company owned by Turkish immigrants, also played a significant role in fundraising for Adams during his mayoral campaign. The Times noted that on May 7, 2021, company owners, employees and families donated $43,600 to Adams’ campaign, matched in public funds for a total of $92,000.
The FBI investigation at this stage appears to be focused on gathering information to determine if there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, and no charges have been filed against Adams or any campaign member. Politico reports that FBI agents executed a search warrant at the Brooklyn home of Brianna Suggs, Adams’ 25-year-old campaign finance manager, earlier this month. The official warrant outlines a search for “records of travel to Turkey by any employee, officer or associate of the campaign; and documents related to interactions between the campaign and the government of Turkey, including persons acting at the behest of the Turkish government.”
Adams and his lawyer, Boyd Johnson, have indicated that there were reports of an administration official engaged in improper conduct discovered in recent weeks, and that Adams’ office has been working to cooperate with an FBI probe and ensure that all potential oversights and improprieties are addressed and corrected. There has been no mention of when this discovery was made or which official was involved.
There is as of yet no telling of whether the FBI’s probe will reveal legitimate ties of corruption, or if Adams’ conduct was simply part of a calculated political program of fostering support in typically overlooked immigrant communities. The number of negative headlines associated with the case have not helped the Mayor’s public reputation, and further jeopardize his chances for reelection in 2025.
