Eric Adams indicted in federal corruption investigation

Eric Adams has been indicted following a number of federal corruption probes into his campaign finances and alleged kickback schemes among top brass, a new report has revealed. 

The besieged mayor faced calls to resign from an array of local Democrats. The indictment remained sealed Wednesday night, insiders said - as its contents still remain unknown. 

When the charges are made public, however, Adams will become the first New York City mayor to be charged criminally while still in office.

News of the indictment comes days after Diddy's federal arrest for alleged sex-trafficking, and led to a post Adams penned when he awarded the rapper the key to the city last year to go viral.

The retired police captain had previously campaigned on being tough-on-crime, and issued a defiant statement to not only fight the charges, but stay in power as he does so.

'It is now my belief that the federal government is attempting charge me with crimes,' Adams said in the filmed statement, speaking while holed up inside a chaotic Gracie Mansion.

'If so, these charges will be entirely false, based on lies,' he continued, before blaming the looming indictment on his stance on the migrant crisis.

'But they will not be surprising.

'I always knew that if I stood my ground for all of you, that I would be a target. And a target I became,' the Democrat said, nearly a year after feds seized the mayor’s phones and iPad after the first of now many raids.

'For months, leaks, rumors, have been aimed at me in an attempt to undermine my credibility and paint me as guilty,' he continued.

'Just this past week, they searched the home of our new police commissioner, looking for documents from 20 years ago.

'Enough,' Adams said adamantly, citing how the raid came just one week after new commissioner Thomas G. Donlon replaced predecessor Edward Caban, who was forced to resign.

'I will fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit.

'If I'm charged, I know I am innocent,' he went on.

'I will request an immediate trial so that New Yorkers can hear the truth. 

'New Yorkers know my story and know where I come from,' he added, pointing to his  law enforcement background. 'I have been fighting injustices my entire life. That fight has continued as your mayor.

'Despite our pleas, the federal government did nothing as it's broken immigration policies [and] overloaded our shelter system.

'I put the people of New York before party and politics.'

After a lengthy pause, Adams went on to concede that if he is charged, he will face calls to resign - ignoring how multiple politicians have already asked him to do so. 

'I can also understand that everyday New Yorkers will be concerned that I cannot do my job as I face accusation,' he said.

'But I have been facing these lies for months, since I began to speak out for all of you - and there investigation started. Yet, the city has continued to improve,' he asserted, before offering a final sign-off.

'You elected me to lead this city, and lead it I will. I humbly ask for your prayers and patience as we see this through. God bless you, and God bless the city of New York. Thank you,' he said.

The Times was the first to report on the indictment's existence, as feds declined to comment due to the ongoing investigations.

The development, meanwhile, came days after some of the mayor's major allies were targeted in raids by federal authorities, a renewed effort following some federal activity involving Adams late last year. 

Earlier this month, agents stormed the homes of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, in a series of new raids that for now remain under wraps.

Both reportedly had their electronic devices taken, as was the case with Adams back in November, when he had his phone snatched following a raid of the home of his campaign treasurer, Brianna Suggs.

The initial operation, feds said, was part of a probe into the mayor's campaign finances, after which the former chief fundraiser for Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign found herself with a new job, one focused on filing paperwork.

The mayor spoke about the reassignment in interview in December, insisting she was no longer raising money for him without sharing specifics.

'She's going to do — there's so much administrative paperwork, documentation,' the mayor told PIX11 in the sit-down. 

'All of that documentation, she knows it well and she's going to be part of that processing,' he added.

More federal investigations and resignations have ensued since, spurring Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to demand Adams to resign on Wednesday, prior to the Times report.

'The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening government function,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. 'Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration.'

The resumed raids that started earlier this month came in tandem with the sudden resignation of Police Commissioner Caban, who had been tapped to head the New York Police Department just months before, and also had his home raided.

Other recent exits include those of two ex-FDNY chiefs accused of bribery, corruption and false statements Brian Cordasco, 49, and Anthony Saccavino, 59, whose own homes were raided in February.

The searches surrounded claims of 'corrupt building safety inspections,' sources told DailyMail.com - adding the two had received over $190,000 in bribes in exchange for giving 'special treatment' to certain property owners and developers.

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York would confirm those charges on September 16, in a statement issued by  FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy.

'The FDNY officials charged today allegedly took bribes to expedite the inspection process, undermining the fairness and integrity that are fundamental to our system,' he said during the filmed presser. 

'By doing so, they not only compromised public safety but also eroded the public’s trust in those who are sworn to protect us.' 

That indictment has been unsealed, and alleged that from 2021 to 2023, the two chiefs abused their power to make tens of thousands of dollars, and at one point claims that 'for nearly two years, Saccavino and Cordasco misused their authority as Chiefs for their private financial gain.'

Meanwhile, New Yorkers faced abnormally long wait times to get their buildings inspected due to back-up from the pandemic.

The FDNY were the ones to tip off the the DOI about the alleged scheme, claiming groups had been paying out the corrupt chief after Adams was elected.

Meanwhile, federal agents also confiscated the cell phone of NYPD chief Raul Pintos and two precinct commanders in Queens and Manhattan - the same day Caban's own phone was seized in another raid.

Caban went on to resign days later, after Adams appeared to distance himself from the top cop in a statement.

'I chose him for his experience and what he brought after 30-something years of service,' he said at the time.

'Rumors are always out there,' he added. 'There was nothing that came from me that fed those rumors.'

'I don't think anything in life is guaranteed.'

Sources told Pix11 the raid on Caban stemmed from a probe from the investigation into Adams' campaign financing, as another top Adams' aide, Timothy Pearson, also had his phones subpoenaed. 

As for Adams, sources told the paper he is set to surrender to authorities early next week, as the proverbial walls appear to be closing in around him.

It remains unknown how the indictment is related to a sweeping set of raids seen this month, after feds had already probing potential illegal campaign contributions to Adams’ 2021 campaign from individuals linked with the Turkish government.

Other reports, including one aired by the Times Monday, indicated feds are also looking into the mayor’s ties with five other countries as well - Israel, China, Qatar, South Korea and Uzbekistan.

For that investigation, feds are looking into whether Adams conspired with the Turkish government to funnel illegal foreign funds into his campaign, and set out a set expansive grand jury subpoenas in July.

The new subpoenas came eight months after the initial corruption investigation surfaced, with the mayor struggling with approval ratings ever since.

He also faces at least three challengers in the 2025 Democratic primary, if he plans to seek reelection.