FBI Seizes Eric Adams's Phones, iPad As 2021 Campaign ...
In a significant escalation in a criminal investigation into New York Mayor Eric Adams’s victorious 2021 campaign, Federal Bureau of Investigation investigators seized at least two cell phones and an iPad from the mayor early last week, The New York Times reported Friday afternoon.
The investigation, which concerns whether the Adams campaign conspired with the Turkish government to solicit illegal donations via a Brooklyn-based construction company, burst into public view earlier this month when FBI agents raided the Crown Heights apartment of a former Adams intern and current chief fund-raiser, Brianna Suggs. The agents seized two laptops, three iPhones, a manila folder labeled “Eric Adams,” seven “contribution card binders,” and other physical materials, according to the search warrant obtained by the Times.
On Friday, Adams’s lawyer, Boyd Johnson, said in a statement that the mayor was cooperating with the FBI and had “proactively reported” at least one person who engaged in improper behavior. The statement did not say whether the reported conduct was related to the FBI seizure of Adams’ devices. Johnson said that Adams has not been accused of any wrongdoing and “immediately complied with the FBI’s request and provided them with electronic devices.”
In his statement, the mayor said, “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 added that he had “nothing to hide.”
According to a source who spoke to the NYT, FBI agents climbed into Adams’s SUV after an event early last week and executed the search warrant. The cell phones and iPad were returned to the mayor after a few days, but investigators had the legal authority to copy data on seized devices.
On Wednesday—two days after the FBI had seized his devices, and two days before the seizure was reported to the public—Adams said he would be “shocked” if anyone on his campaign had done anything wrong. “I cannot tell you how much I start the day with telling my team, ‘We gotta follow the law. Gotta follow the law,’” Adams said. “Almost to the point that I’m annoying.”
When reporters asked whether the mayor was in touch with investigators following the raid of Suggs’s apartment, another Adams lawyer, Lisa Zornberg, preemptively answered the question. “The answer is yes, of course we are,” Zornberg told reporters. “The mayor has pledged his cooperation, and we’ve been in touch.” Zornberg failed to mention the FBI search.
During Wednesday’s press conference, Adams said he’d met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan just once, when the two “exchanged pleasantries” at an event during Adams’ tenure as Brooklyn borough president. But Adams has traveled to Turkey on numerous occasions, bragging last month, “I’m probably the only mayor in the history of this city that has not only visited Turkey once, but I think I’m on my sixth or seventh visit to Turkey.” Turkish entities reportedly paid for some of those visits.
On Friday, just before the news of the FBI seizure broke, The City reporter Katie Honan asked Adams about early speculation that, amidst this investigation, Adams will face several primary challengers in 2025. “Wait before you hate,” Adams cryptically replied.
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