Federal prosecutors as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are conducting an investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adam's 2021 campaign.
The probe comes after the FBI conducted a raid at the Brooklyn home of the mayor's chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs. The investigation suggests that the Democratic lawmaker received illegal donations from Turkey to help fund his campaign two years ago.
FBI Raids Home of Eric Adams' Chief Fundraiser
The controversy burst into public view on Thursday after federal agents conducted the raid on Suggs' home. She is a campaign consultant who is deeply entwined with efforts to advance Adams' agenda.
Investigators are also seeking to acquire more information regarding the potential involvement of a Brooklyn construction company with ties to Turkey. Another entity involved is a small university in Washington, D.C., that also has ties to the Middle Eastern country as well as to Adams.
The search warrant noted that investigators were focusing their efforts on whether or not the mayor's campaign kicked back benefits to the construction company's officials and employees, and to Turkish officials, as per the New York Times.
Agents seized three iPhones, two laptop computers, papers, and other evidence. These included something that agents identified as a "manila folder labeled Eric Adams," seven "contribution card binders," and other materials.
Despite this, there was no indication that the probe was targeting the mayor directly and he is not accused of any wrongdoing. But the raid on Suggs' home apparently prompted the NYC mayor to abruptly cancel several meetings that were scheduled for Thursday morning in Washington, D.C.
A spokesman for the New York City mayor said that he then quickly returned to his home state "to deal with the matter." The deputy mayor for communications, Fabien Levy, said that Adams heard of the issue related to the campaign and takes it very seriously. He noted that the mayor plans to return to D.C. and reschedule the canceled meetings as soon as he is able.
Alleged International Funding
On Thursday evening, Adams addressed the issue and noted that they would comply with any inquiry. He added that he has not been contacted by anyone involved in the issue and argued that he would continue to run the city, which he called the greatest city in the world, according to CBS News.
It is believed that the FBI raid on Suggs' home was one of multiple locations that law enforcement personnel visited. It remains unclear just how many people in the mayor's circle are under scrutiny for the alleged controversy.
FBI agents from one of its public corruption squads allegedly questioned Suggs during the raid on her Crown Heights home. However, Adams' chief fundraiser has not been charged with a crime and there was no information regarding evidence boxes that were loaded from her home into a black van.
The New York City mayor's 2021 campaign counsel, Vito Pitta, said that the Democrat's campaign has always held itself to the highest standards. He added that it would comply with any inquiries by federal agents as appropriate, said Fox News.
