New York City Mayor Eric Adams denied any involvement in illegal political fundraising on Friday, but his campaign has pledged to review its books. This comes after federal agents raided the home of one of Adams’ chief fundraisers, Brianna Suggs.
“I am outraged and angry if anyone attempted to use the campaign to manipulate our democracy and defraud our campaign,” Adams said in a statement. His campaign attorney, Vito Pitta, stated that they are reviewing all documents and actions by campaign workers connected to the contributors in question.
The search of Suggs’ Brooklyn home prompted Adams to cancel a planned trip to meet with White House officials and return to New York. The investigation is examining whether the Adams campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive donations from foreigners, which is banned by law.
“I have no knowledge, direct or otherwise, of any improper fundraising activity — and certainly not of any foreign money,” Adams emphasized.
The search warrant also sought information related to KSK Construction Group, a Brooklyn company, and a small university in Washington, D.C. tied to the Turkish government. Suggs has not been charged with any crime, and her spokesperson declined to comment.
Adams has highlighted his connections to Turkey, a country he has visited multiple times. The federal investigation follows two other investigations that revealed links between Adams’ inner circle and New York’s real estate sector.
Adams has not been directly implicated in those cases, but political observers believe that the current federal investigation into his fundraising team could be more significant.
“It should always be a concern when the Department of Justice is investigating any aspect of your campaign,” said former federal prosecutor Carrie Cohen.
