The FBI seized New York City mayor Eric Adams’s electronic devices this week as part of a corruption investigation of the Democrat’s 2021 campaign, just days after the bureau raided the home of his chief fundraiser.
Manhattan attorney Boyd Johnson, who represents Adams, confirmed that the FBI seized at least two cellphones and an iPad after the mayor attended a public event earlier this week, the New York Times first reported.
“On Monday night, the FBI approached the mayor after an event,” Adams’s attorney said Friday. “The Mayor immediately complied with the FBI’s request and provided them with electronic devices. The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to cooperate with the investigation.”
On November 2, the FBI’s public-corruption unit searched the Brooklyn home of Brianna Suggs, a close associate and top campaign fundraiser for Adams, looking for evidence as to whether the mayor’s campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign donations. Shortly following the raid, Adams canceled his planned trip to Washington, D.C., to discuss the ongoing migrant crisis with White House officials and subsequently returned to New York City.
It’s unclear if the probe is directly targeting the mayor or if he is accused of any wrongdoing. Johnson added that some level of wrongdoing has been uncovered, although he didn’t specify what it was or who was responsible.
“After learning of the federal investigation, it was discovered that an individual had recently acted improperly. In the spirit of transparency and cooperation, this behavior was immediately and proactively reported to investigators,” he noted, without disclosing further details.
Federal investigators are looking into the alleged involvement of a Brooklyn construction company with connections to Turkey and a small university in Washington, D.C., that has ties to both Turkey and Adams, according to a search warrant obtained by the Times last week. The investigation is also focused on determining whether the Democratic mayor’s campaign kicked back benefits to the construction company’s officials and employees, and to Turkish officials.
FBI agents seized three iPhones, two laptop computers, papers, and other evidence from Suggs during the search of her home.
The FBI returned Adams’s electronic devices in a matter of days, according to two people familiar with the situation.
“As a former member of law enforcement, I expect all members of my staff to follow the law and fully cooperate with any sort of investigation — and I will continue to do exactly that,” Adams said in a recent statement. “I have nothing to hide.”