New York Mayor Eric Adams fears he is about to be indicted for federal campaign violations, sources tell DailyMail.com.
Adams reportedly expressed his fears to people close to him this week, as the FBI investigation into his campaign finances gathered steam, and after his former top fundraiser Brianna Suggs retained her own lawyers and relinquished the team currently running represents the town hall.
Between 2018 and 2021, Adams’ campaign accepted a total of $18,000 from Turkish individuals and organizations. He gave back $5,000 to meet donation limits.
The FBI is investigating whether these donations violate campaign laws that prohibit contributions from foreign governments or individuals working on their behalf.
If charges are filed, Adams will be forced to fight a legal battle while in office or resign. Should the latter scenario occur, it could lead to chaotic, 60-day open elections in which a replacement must be found without clear frontrunners.
Mayor Eric Adams has expressed concerns that he may be sued over campaign donations from Turkish individuals and organizations, according to DailyMail.com’s sources.
Suggs was represented by WilmerHale, the firm currently representing Adams and the campaign.
This week she hired Rebecca Ricigliano, a former federal prosecutor who previously worked for the Southern District of New York and now works for the white-collar crime firm Crowell & Moring.
In a statement this week, Ricigliano said they were cooperating with the government’s investigation.
City Hall today denied that Adams was at all concerned about the charges.
“Stop spreading lies, especially from people not involved in this case,” a spokesperson told DailyMai.com, directing his comments to the sources who raised Adams’ concerns.
A source close to the campaign also denied he was concerned, citing the fact that investigators have not yet made any specific accusations against him.
“This is nothing more than a political stunt by an opponent of the mayor trying to stir things up,” they said.
Between 2018 and 2021, Adams’ team took $6,000 from three American citizens who serve on the board of the Turks Foundation, the charity founded by Erdogan’s son, according to campaign finance records.
The campaign raised $1,000, exceeding the limit for individual donations.
FBI agents raided the home of Brianna Suggs, one of Adams’ assistants, earlier this month
The campaign also received $12,600 from two board members of the advocacy group The Turkish American Steering Committee.
The campaign returned $4,000 of the contributions after they were cited for violating donation limits.
Brianna Suggs, Adam’s top fundraiser in 2021, has retained her own team of attorneys
One of those foundations, a group that builds housing for Muslim students in the US, was founded by the son of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish politicians have wondered in the past whether the Erdogan family used the Turks Foundation to stash money abroad.
The Adams campaign had to return more than $8,000 of those contributions due to campaign contribution limit rules.
Should Adams resign due to charges, his resignation would trigger 60 days of open elections.
His current term ends in 2025 and it remains unclear whether he will face strong opponents.
If Adams steps down, his immediate responsibilities would fall to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and then City Comptroller, Brand Lander.
A special election would then be held 60 days after Adams’s resignation.
Potential candidates include former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal, his aide Melissa DeRosa, and New York State Chief Operating Officer Kathryn Garcia.
Adams’ team has been cooperating with the FBI’s investigation into the donations and with his campaign since agents raided the home of his top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, earlier this month.
The officers seized several phones, laptops and paperwork from Suggs’ Brooklyn home.
Three board members of The Turken Foundation contributed to Adams’ 2021 campaign. The company was founded by Bilal Erdogan, the son of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan
In 2018, Adams — then Brooklyn Borough President — attended a groundbreaking ceremony for Turks House, the organization linked to the Turkish president’s son. It builds student housing for Muslim students in the US
If Adams resigns, he will immediately be replaced by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for a period of 60 days until an election is held. Williams previously advocated defunding the police and is a staunch supporter of immigrants
Adams, in his speech after the raid, insisted he was cooperating with the investigation and had done nothing wrong.
The possibility of charges against Adams himself comes a day after Suggs switched attorneys from the firm representing Adams and his campaign to her own team of attorneys.
Suggs has been moved from fundraising to another role.
At a news conference Tuesday, Adams said, “With Brianna, she is no longer fundraising for the campaign.” He declined to elaborate further.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has reportedly expressed interest in a mayoral bid. Kathryn Garcia, former Sanitation Commissioner, is another contender