Federal investigations into Mayor Eric Adams and his inner circle include search and seizure of a police official’s phone.
Federal agents conducted a search at the offices of the Police Department’s School Safety Division in connection with a potential bribery scheme involving city contracts. This is one of four federal investigations surrounding Mayor Eric Adams. The investigation also involved seizing the cellphone of the former commanding officer of the School Safety Division in relation to a company called SaferWatch, which provides panic button systems to schools and police departments nationwide.
The focus of the bribery investigation is on a consulting firm called the Pearl Alliance, established by Terence Banks, the brother of two high-ranking officials in the Adams administration who resigned following the mayor’s indictment in a separate corruption case. SaferWatch was a client of the Pearl Alliance. The firm was founded in 2022 by Terence Banks, while his brothers, Philip B. Banks III and David Banks, held key positions in the mayor’s administration.
In early September, federal agents and city investigators confiscated the phones of the Banks brothers, Sheena Wright, and other top officials in the administration. Following the phone seizures, Philip and David Banks, as well as Sheena Wright, resigned from their positions. SaferWatch did not have significant involvement in New York City contracting until 2023 when the Police Department conducted a pilot program with the company but ultimately decided not to proceed with its services.
The search conducted by federal agents at the School Safety Division was reported by The New York Post. This action followed a recent report by The New York Times on another investigation involving members of the mayor’s inner circle, carried out by the Manhattan district attorney’s office and the city’s Department of Investigation. The bribery inquiry related to city contracts is being handled by the United States attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, the same office that brought corruption charges against Mayor Adams, in collaboration with the city’s Department of Investigation.
The former commanding officer of the Police Department’s School Safety Division, whose phone was seized during the search, has been placed on modified assignment. Inspector Kevin L. Taylor, the officer in question, was unavailable for immediate comment. The union representing him also could not be reached for a statement. Representatives of the involved agencies and the Police Department declined to provide further details or comments on the matter.
Overall, the ongoing investigations into possible corruption and bribery schemes involving city contracts and officials in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration have raised significant concerns about ethical practices and transparency in local government operations. The multiple federal inquiries underscore the importance of upholding integrity and accountability in public service and procurement processes to ensure the public trust and proper use of taxpayer funds.
Source: The NY Times
