Eric Adams has arrived in federal court to face corruption charges as the first New York City mayor to be charged while in office.
The defiant mayor gave a thumbs up to the scrum of press and New Yorkers who crowded the Manhattan Federal Court steps on Friday morning.
He climbed out of a black SUV in a navy suit and red patterned tie, with a pocket square, and strode into the building ahead of his arraignment, set for 12pm.
Adams is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and receiving campaign contributions by foreign nationals.
Eric Adams has arrived in federal court to face corruption charges as the first New York City mayor to be charged while in office
The defiant mayor gave a thumbs up to the scrum of press and New Yorkers who crowded the Manhattan Federal Court on Friday morning
He is also accused of defrauding New York taxpayers of $10 million through allegedly fraudulent campaign funds.
The NYC mayor allegedly took advantage of the citys system of matching campaign contributions with tax dollars, and fraudulently obtained as much as $2,000 in public funds for each illegal contribution, the indictment alleged.
He was allegedly relying on the concealed nature of these illegal contributions to falsely portray his campaigns as law-abiding.
As a result of those false certifications, Adams 2021 mayoral campaign received more than $10,000,000 in public funds, prosecutors said on Thursday.
According to the indictment, Adams relationship with Turkish officials saw him accept a number of luxurious gifts, including stays in lavish Istanbul hotels.
Adams allegedly pressured the FDNY to open a Turkish government-owned high rise in Manhattan in exchange for luxury travel benefits - despite the building failing safety inspections.
US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams claimed Adams took corrupt official action in exchange for some of the luxury travel benefits.
He climbed out of a black SUV in a navy suit and red patterned tie and strode into the building ahead of his arraignment, set for 12pm
Adams is accused of defrauding New York taxpayers of $10 million through allegedly fraudulent campaign funds
He alleged there were significant time pressures to open the building in time for a visit from Turkeys president, at the urging of a Turkish official.
Adams allegedly accepted over $100,000 worth of amenities and gifts from the Turkish government in exchange for influence over him, Williams said.
The alleged gifts included a stay in the St Regis Istanbul hotel, where he stayed with a partner in a luxury suite that would typically have cost $7,000 for two nights, but he allegedly only paid $600.
He is accused of accepting flights from Turkish Airlines even when doing so was otherwise inconvenient, with a July 2017 trip from New York to France seeing him stop in Turkey.
When his partner asked him why he was in Turkey, he allegedly responded: transferring here. You know first stop is always Istanbul.
According to prosecutors, Eric Adams accepted an array of luxury gifts and amenities from foreign governments who hoped to buy influence with him.
This included free trips, hotel suites and airline upgrades valued at over $100,000.
Adams is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and receiving campaign contributions by foreign nationals
Adams was greeted by a scrum of press and New Yorkers who crowded the Manhattan Federal Court
For example, he allegedly accepted free business class upgrades with companions for flights from New York to France, Turkey, Sri Lank and China in July 2017.
That same month, he also allegedly enjoyed a hugely discounted stay at the Bentley Suite in the St Regis Hotel in Istanbul, valued at over $3,5000 per night but for which he only paid $300 per night.
Another alleged instance came as one of Adams staffers made a reservation for a flight to Turkey on the day of the 2021 NYC Democratic primary.
According to prosecutors, when the airline suggested he stay at the Four Seasons, the staffer said it would be too expensive - to which the airline manager responded: Why does he care? He is not going to pay.
The airline manager allegedly added that Adams name will not be on anything either, to which the staffer responded: Super.
Adams held a press conference outside the Gracie Mansion shortly after the federal indictment against him was unsealed on Thursday.
Adams beaming in pictures from a 2021 trip to Ghana, where prosecutors claim he received free upgraded flights for two on his journey from New York
He also allegedly received a free meal and transportation during a layover in Istanbul, and accepted gifts and amenities on the trip worth upwards of $12,000, prosecutors said.
The NYC mayor, 64, defied mounting calls for his resignation as he spoke surrounded by Black community leaders in the city, saying he will continue to do the job that I was elected to do.
My day to day will not change, Adams said, adding that his lawyers will take care of the case.
Asked if he had any plans to resign, Adams responded: I was elected by 700,000 people.
Everyone who knows me knows that I follow the campaign rules and I follow the law, he said.
As Adams spoke, a group of angry protestors shouted him down and demanded he step down from office.
This led one of his supporters around him, Hazel Jones, to shout back from the podium for the protestors to shut up.
Another image from 2017 shows Adams on a trip to China, which came after he allegedly accepted free business class tickets to fly to the nation with a stop off in Turkey - worth over $16,000, prosecutors claimed.
Adams earlier accused the feds of going after him because he expressed displeasure with the Biden Administration on immigration.
Defiant in a pre-recorded statement on Wednesday night, Adams said: It is now my belief that the federal government is attempting charge me with crimes. If so, these charges will be entirely false, based on lies.
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.
For months, leaks, rumors, have been aimed at me in an attempt to undermine my credibility and paint me as guilty, he went on.
Just this past week, they searched the home of our new police commissioner, looking for documents from 20 years ago.
Enough.
US Attorney Damian Williams, speaks at a news conference detailing an indictment against New York City Mayor Eric Adams
Williams uses a visual aid to explain the indictment and evidence against Adams
Adams went on to say, citing how the raid came just a week after new commissioner Thomas Donlon suddenly replaced predecessor Edward Caban, who was handpicked by Adams to replace outgoing Keechant Sewell.
I will fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit, Adams declared.
If Im charged, I know I am innocent. I will request an immediate trial so that New Yorkers can hear the truth.
The political newcomer proceeded to point his law enforcement background, which he leaned on intensely three years ago during a successful campaign that touted him as tough-on-crime.
New Yorkers know my story and know where I come from, the former police captain said. I have been fighting injustices my entire life. That fight has continued as your mayor.
Turning back to the migrant situation that has seen 217,300 foreigners funneled into the city, he proclaimed: Despite our pleas, the federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies [and] overloaded our shelter system.
I put the people of New York before party and politics, the mayor pressed on - before a lengthy pause.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams laughs during a press conference outside his official residence, Gracie Mansion, on Thursday after he was charged
Adams smiles at his press conference on Thursday, looking undeterred by the charges
He went on to concede how in coming days, he will likely face calls to resign, but said he will resist all calls to step down.
But I have been facing these lies for months, since I began to speak out for all of you - and there investigation started, he continued, crying conspiracy
Yet, the city has continued to improve.
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.
Adams initially welcomed the concept of New York being a sanctuary city - with the then campaigning mayor, just days before he was elected, celebrating the then new arrivals as keeping our city running during the pandemic.
The days I spent with our essential employees, a substantial number of them were undocumented, he added at the time, before changing his tune a little over a year later.
A less somber Adams is seen outside Gracie Mansion flashing a thumbs up sign to a reporter just before news of the indictment broke. He was there Wednesday night as well
They were delivering out Uber Eats, they were stocking our stores, they were out in the streets keeping our city running.
As the border crisis worsened, Adams abruptly changed his tune, asking for federal help In July 2022.
The following month, he said the city had a moral and legal obligation to house anyone who is experiencing homelessness.
By the start of 2023, he shifted gears completely, having civic staffers hand out yellow fliers to immigrants that disclaimed was no guarantee they would receive shelter or services if they went to New York.
Housing in NYC is very expensive, the fliers said. Please consider another city as you make your decision about where to settle in the US.