(New York) FBI agents have seized the phones and electronic devices of Eric Adams, the mayor of New York, as part of a federal investigation into his campaign financing, one of his lawyers said Friday.
The seizures are believed to be linked to a corruption investigation into whether, during his campaign for New York City mayor in 2021, Mr. Adams conspired with the government and Turkish nationals.
“Monday evening, the FBI approached the mayor after an event. The mayor immediately complied with the FBI’s request and handed over electronic devices,” said Boyd Johnson, the campaign’s lawyer, in a statement sent to AFP.
“He has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to cooperate with the investigation,” he added.
The federal investigation into Mr. Adams’ campaign became public last week when FBI agents searched the home of his campaign’s fundraising manager — 25-year-old intern Brianna Suggs — and seized computers and cell phones as well as a cardboard folder marked “Eric Adams.”
Last week, following the search, the mayor hurriedly left Washington, where he was scheduled to meet with White House and Congressional officials about the influx of migrants in his city, to return to New York .
“I expect all members of my team to follow the law and cooperate fully with any form of investigation,” Adams said in a statement released Friday.
“This is exactly what I will continue to do,” he declared, assuring that he “has nothing to hide.”
According to New York Timesthe search warrant for the home of Mme Suggs aimed to obtain evidence of a conspiracy between the mayor’s campaign, the Turkish government and a Brooklyn real estate developer whose owners are Turkish.
The warrant reportedly said authorities were investigating whether donations from the government or Turkish nationals were made to Mr. Adams through a system in which fake contributors were allegedly listed.
The link between the seizure of Mr. Adams’ devices and the search of Mr. Adams’s homeme Suggs is not yet clear.
In his press release, Me Johnson said that “after learning of the federal investigation, it became apparent that an individual had recently acted inappropriately,” without specifying the details of the investigation he was referring to.