Federal authorities raided a hotel in Long Island City owned by a significant donor to Mayor Eric Adams, who sought special favors for development projects. The search warrant was executed by prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York U.S. Attorney’s office, focusing on the Mayflower Howard Johnson Hotel. Housing Works, which operates the hotel, confirmed that the investigation did not target them or their clients. The hotel owner, Weihong Hu, bundled donations for Adams’ mayoral campaign, with reports indicating illegal reimbursement methods. Hu also owns other hotels, including one where a former Adams aide lived in a taxpayer-funded room. The Long Island City hotel serves as a transitional shelter for formerly incarcerated individuals. Hu’s attorney and a spokesperson for Adams did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A Long Island City hotel, the Mayflower Howard Johnson Hotel, was recently raided by federal authorities in connection with possible illegal activities. The hotel is owned by Weihong Hu, a Chinese businesswoman and developer who is a significant donor to Mayor Eric Adams. Hu has also allegedly sought special favors for development projects. The raid was carried out by prosecutors working with Eastern District of New York U.S. Attorney Breon Peace.
The search warrant was executed on Thursday, November 14, at the hotel. Housing Works, the organization that operates the hotel, confirmed that the areas of interest to law enforcement were not related to their operations. They clarified that Housing Works and its clients were not the targets of the federal authorities’ actions.
Weihong Hu has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign. There are allegations that family members of Hu reimbursed donors to Adams’ campaign in cash, which is illegal. Hu also owns other hotels, including a Wyndham Garden in Fresh Meadows, Queens, where a former aide to Adams, Winnie Greco, resided in a room paid for by taxpayers.
The Long Island City hotel serves as a transitional shelter for individuals who are transitioning from correctional settings. Hu’s attorney, Kevin Tung, did not provide an immediate response for comment, and a spokesperson for Mayor Adams did not respond to requests for comment.
This incident is part of ongoing investigations into potential illegal activities involving the hotel owner and her connections to political figures. The authorities are looking into possible violations of campaign finance laws and misuse of public funds. The outcome of the investigation could have significant implications for both Weihong Hu and Mayor Eric Adams.
Source: TheCity.NYC
