Manhattan DA seizes phones from Mayor Eric Adams’ aides after vacation.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office has initiated a new corruption investigation involving Mayor Eric Adams and his administration’s leasing of commercial properties. This inquiry is separate from the four existing corruption investigations surrounding the mayor. The investigation is looking into potential bribery, money laundering, and other criminal activities related to the city’s leasing practices.
As part of the investigation, the phones of at least five individuals, including Mayor Adams’s chief adviser, a top New York City real estate official, and a broker involved in city leases, have been seized. The devices were confiscated at Kennedy Airport on September 27 as Mayor Adams’s chief adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, returned from a trip to Japan with a group of friends, which included the city real estate official, Jesse Hamilton, and the broker, Diana Boutross.
Investigators also conducted a search of Ms. Lewis-Martin’s home in Brooklyn simultaneously with the seizure of electronic devices. In a separate development, the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, which recently indicted the mayor, served Ms. Lewis-Martin with a grand jury subpoena related to their case.
This new corruption investigation adds to the legal challenges facing Mayor Adams and his administration. The scrutiny from multiple law enforcement agencies underscores the seriousness of the allegations and the potential legal implications for the mayor and his top aides. It is crucial for the public to stay informed about these developments as they unfold.
Source: The NY Times
