The mayor has maintained his innocence.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a federal grand jury on criminal charges, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The charges were first reported by The New York Times and remain unclear, as the indictment remains under seal, according to the people who spoke with The Associated Press. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to leak the matter to the media publicly.
The Epoch Times has contacted the mayor’s office and the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan for comment.
Adams addressed New Yorkers in a video statement on Wednesday night, responding to reports of his indictment. He said that he believes the federal government intends to charge him with crimes “based on lies.”
“I always knew if I stood my ground for all of you that I would be a target, and a target I became,” Adams said. “For months, leaks and rumors have been aimed at me in an attempt to undermine my credibility and paint me as guilty.”
“Enough,” he added. “I will fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit.”
“If I’m charged, I know I am innocent,” he said. “I will request an immediate trial so New Yorkers can hear the truth. New Yorkers know my story, they know where I come from. I have been fighting injustices my entire life. That fight has continued as your mayor.”
The beleaguered mayor declared his innocence and suggested the federal investigation into him, his office, and associates is linked to his criticism of the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
“Despite our pleas, the federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter systems with no relief. I put the people of New York before party and politics,” the mayor said.
Since last November, FBI agents have been investigating the mayor and his close advisers. While the FBI has not made any details of its investigation public, The New York Times reported in 2023 that its reporters had been shown a search warrant indicating that investigators were looking into allegations that Adams’s 2021 mayoral campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive donations from foreign sources, which is illegal.
