Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents have confiscated three mobile phones and an iPad owned by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The seizure is part of an inquiry into allegations that his 2021 campaign collaborated with entities such as Turkey to finance his election, as reported by the New York Times.
It is illegal for American elections to receive foreign donations, either directly or indirectly.
According to reports, federal authorities are investigating whether Mr. Adams exerted pressure on the city’s fire department to approve plans for a new high-rise Turkish consulate in Manhattan just weeks before the mayoral election.
Already under fire for rising crime in the city and his handling of the migrant crisis, the investigation adds further pressure on Mr. Adams, a Democrat and former police captain.
Reports indicate that Mr. Adams was approached by FBI agents following an event in Manhattan, where they seized the devices from his SUV with a warrant. The devices were later returned, and it’s unclear if the agents copied data from them.
Just days prior to this, FBI agents conducted an early morning raid on the home of Briana Suggs, a political consultant and the mayor’s chief fundraiser, where they seized multiple devices and documents related to Mr. Adams.
Despite these events, Mr. Adams abruptly cancelled meetings in the White House to return to New York, citing Ms. Suggs’ traumatic experience after the raid, and emphasizing that his campaign maintained high ethical standards.
While there was no comment from Ms. Suggs, it was reported that the investigation is looking into potential violations of campaign finance law, including the use of “straw donors” by Turkish nationals to funnel donations to Mr. Adams’ mayoral campaign.
According to the investigation, Mr. Adams allegedly lobbied the city’s fire commissioner to allow the Turkish government to occupy the high-rise building temporarily, despite concerns from some fire department officials.
Mr. Adams, however, dismissed the suggestions of prosecution, stating that he has nothing to hide, and assured full cooperation with the authorities. His lawyer also affirmed that any improper behavior has been proactively reported to investigators.
Neither the FBI nor the US Attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York commented on the investigation.
