New York City Mayor Eric Adams pleaded not guilty Friday to federal bribery charges, firmly rejecting allegations that he accepted overseas travel, campaign cash and other perks from foreign interests seeking to harness his influence.
Adams, a former police captain, entered the plea in a packed courtroom that鈥檚 just a short walk from City Hall, which has been roiled in recent weeks by a cascade of investigations, searches and subpoenas. The first-term Democrat maintains he did nothing wrong and has vowed to stay in office, rebuffing growing calls for him to quit.
鈥淚 am not guilty, your honor,鈥 Adams said, looking solemnly at the judge.
His appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker came a day after prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing him of taking $100,000 in flights and stays in opulent hotel suites from people tied to Turkey, and fueling his run for mayor with illegal donations that helped him qualify for more than $10 million in public campaign funds.
Adams was released on the condition that he not contact any witnesses or people described in the indictment. The mayor is allowed to speak with relatives and staff, but not about anything pertaining to the allegations.
Adams left the courtroom without commenting. He smiled at a court officer but ignored the rows of reporters he passed on his way out. Afterward, he stood silently outside the courthouse while his lawyer, Alex Spiro, railed against the charges to a crowd of cameras while onlookers shouted 鈥淔ree Eric!鈥 and 鈥淟ock him up!鈥
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 even a real case. This is the airline upgrade corruption case,鈥 Spiro said. He told the judge would file a motion next week asking for the case to be dismissed.
Yet even as the mayor appeared in court, the investigation into his administration continued.
One of Adams' closest City Hall advisers, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, was met at the airport Friday by investigators from the U.S. attorney's office and Manhattan district attorney's office after she got off flight from Japan. The federal investigators served her with a subpoena. The local prosecutors took her phones and searched her house, according to her lawyer, Arthur Aidala. A TV news crew got footage of investigators carrying out boxes marked 鈥渄ocuments鈥 and 鈥渆lectronics.鈥
鈥淪he will cooperate fully with any and all investigations and Ms. Lewis is not the target of any case of which we are aware,鈥 Aidala said.
Adams, 64, is due back in court Wednesday for a conference before U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho, who will preside over the case going forward.
In his 18-minute appearance Friday, Adams sat stoically with his hands folded in his lap as the magistrate judge read the charges aloud, her sturdy delivery underscoring the gravity of the case. He was at the courthouse for just under four hours.
The criminal case and tumult in Adams' administration, including the sudden resignation of his police commissioner and retirement of his schools chancellor, have created a political crisis for the mayor.
Adams has so far weathered calls to resign, including from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, potential Democratic challengers in next June鈥檚 mayoral primary, and some Republicans. Top Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries have not called on Adams to quit, saying the legal process should be allowed to play out.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, walks out of lock-up flanked by two U.S. Marshals before appearing in Manhattan federal court, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who has the power to remove Adams from office, appeared to issue a warning to a mayor she has often portrayed as a close ally, saying in a statement that she was reviewing her 鈥渙ptions and obligations鈥 and expects 鈥渢he mayor to take the next few days to review the situation and find an appropriate path forward to ensure the people of New York City are being well-served by their leaders.鈥
Adams, who soared to office as a law-and-order champion of the middle class, is charged with five counts: wire fraud, bribery, conspiracy and two counts of receiving campaign contributions from a foreign national. If convicted of the most serious charge, wire fraud, he faces up to 20 years in prison, federal prosecutors said.
Among other things, Adams is accused of allowing a senior Turkish diplomat and others to shower him with luxury accommodations to places like France, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hungary, Ghana and Turkey, including valuable business-class upgrades, high-end meals and even a trip to a Turkish bath. Most of the trips took place while Adams was Brooklyn borough president, before he ran for mayor.
Adams is also accused of conspiring to take campaign contributions from foreign sources banned from giving to U.S. campaigns and disguising the payments by routing them through straw donors.
In return, Adams allegedly did favors for his patrons, including helping ensure that Turkey鈥檚 newly built diplomatic tower in Manhattan wouldn鈥檛 be subject to a fire inspection that it was certain to fail.
Spiro, whose roster of past and present clients includes Elon Musk, Alec Baldwin and Jay-Z, said it was neither unusual nor improper for an elected official to accept some travel perks. The mayor has denied ever knowingly accepting an illegal campaign contribution and said any help he gave people navigating city bureaucracy was just part of his job.
Adams' indictment is unlikely to be the last word on federal investigations involving city government.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams told reporters Thursday: 鈥淭his investigation continues. We continue to dig, and we will hold more people accountable, and I encourage anyone with information to come forward and to do so before it is too late.鈥
Federal prosecutors are believed to be leading multiple, separate inquiries involving Adams and his senior aides and relatives of those aides. In early September, federal investigators seized devices from the police commissioner, schools chancellor, two deputy mayors and other trusted Adams confidants.
None of those other officials have been publicly accused of wrongdoing or charged with a crime.
The Lower Manhattan courthouse is less than two blocks from the one where former President Donald Trump was tried and convicted of falsifying business records. Adams' arraignment was in the same courthouse where a jury found Trump civilly liable for sexually assaulting the writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996 and in the very same courtroom where hip-hop mogul Sean 鈥淒iddy鈥 Combs was arraigned last week on sex trafficking charges.
Associated Press reporter Anthony Izaguirre in Albany contributed.
Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the entire southeastern U.S. on Friday, killing at least 40 people in four states, snapping towering oaks like twigs, tearing apart homes and sending rescue crews on desperate missions to save people from floodwaters.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday it had fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights in 2022 and 2023 in prohibited Iraqi airspace.
Defence Minister Bill Blair says there is a ship in place near Lebanon, as well as 150 deployed additional Canadian Armed Forces members prepared for a military-assisted departure of stranded Canadians, if more violence in the region requires it.
The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah's headquarters in Beirut on Friday in a series of massive explosions that targeted the leader of the militant group and levelled multiple high-rise apartment buildings.
A 72-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for a brutal murder that happened in Chilliwack in 2016 has died, according to the Correctional Service of Canada.
More than 550 symptomatic people responded to an online questionnaire about a gastrointestinal illness at a Prince Edward Island shellfish festival last weekend.
A former Canadian military reservist has been sentenced to house arrest after posting a video of himself firing a shotgun at a picture of a member of Parliament whom he accused of being a "communist agent" for China.
Global Affairs Canada began booking blocks of seats on the few remaining commercial flights leaving Lebanon on Friday as it issued another urgent plea for any Canadians in the country to leave immediately.
The family of Jon Wells, a man who died in an incident involving Calgary police earlier this month, say they are seeking time to grieve their loss.
A 72-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for a brutal murder that happened in Chilliwack in 2016 has died, according to the Correctional Service of Canada.
More than 550 symptomatic people responded to an online questionnaire about a gastrointestinal illness at a Prince Edward Island shellfish festival last weekend.
The family of Jon Wells, a man who died in an incident involving Calgary police earlier this month, say they are seeking time to grieve their loss.
There were some tense moments for a B.C. family this week after their dog came face-to-face with a protective mama bear right outside their front door.
A prominent Indigenous artist has teamed up with students in The Pas to create a mural bringing attention to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
When Ontario鈥檚 minimum wage goes up on Oct. 1, another group of workers will also see an increase. But what is the homeworkers鈥 minimum wage?
A paralegal at a New York City district attorney's office has been arrested after he attempted to make an explosive to bomb a migrant shelter located across from his apartment, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday.
The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah's headquarters in Beirut on Friday in a series of massive explosions that targeted the leader of the militant group and levelled multiple high-rise apartment buildings.
The U.S. announced an agreement with the Iraqi government Friday to wrap up the military mission in Iraq of an American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group by next year, with U.S. troops departing some bases that they have long occupied during a two-decade-long military presence in the country.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams pleaded not guilty Friday to federal bribery charges and other counts that have roiled the nation's biggest city after months of investigations, searches and subpoenas.
Two weeks of testimony suggested the company responsible for an experimental deep-water submersible that imploded, killing five people, either recklessly ignored warning signs in the name of profits or represented the nation's explorer spirit in taking calculated risks to push humankind's boundaries.
A Massachusetts woman pleaded guilty on Friday to running a high-end brothel network in the greater Boston area and the suburbs of Washington that served wealthy and well-connected clientele including politicians, corporate executives, lawyers and military officers.
Defence Minister Bill Blair says there is a ship in place near Lebanon, as well as 150 deployed additional Canadian Armed Forces members prepared for a military-assisted departure of stranded Canadians, if more violence in the region requires it.
A former Canadian military reservist has been sentenced to house arrest after posting a video of himself firing a shotgun at a picture of a member of Parliament whom he accused of being a "communist agent" for China.
The sole Bloc Qu茅b茅cois opposition day before the winter break has been scheduled, but the party's Deputy House Leader says there is 'no point' in using it to put forward a non-confidence motion against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.
A man from Alberta has been at the Medipal International Hospital in Kampala, Uganda for over two months with a hefty medical bill. He says he can鈥檛 leave until it鈥檚 been paid for.
More than 550 symptomatic people responded to an online questionnaire about a gastrointestinal illness at a Prince Edward Island shellfish festival last weekend.
A partial masking mandate has returned to Nova Scotia hospitals and provincially run healthcare facilities for visitors and healthcare workers.
Members of the Southern Georgian Bay OPP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) are sounding the alarm on a rising number of online and phone scams targeting residents.
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen feels 'extremely hopeful' about society's ability to push social media platforms into being safer but for change to come, she says these companies need to be motivated in a new way.
OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati 鈥 who has been instrumental in the development of ChatGPT and the artificial intelligence image generator Dall-E 鈥 said Wednesday she is leaving the company.
Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for 1969 film 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in 'Downton Abbey' and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Friday. She was 89.
鈥婼ean 'Diddy' Combs wants to testify at his criminal trial for charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, according to his attorney.
The emotional cross-examination of the woman accusing Jacob Hoggard of sexual assault concluded at his trial Friday, as the Canadian musician's defence lawyer questioned the quality of the complainant's memory, highlighted a lack of documentation to support her account and accused her of changing her story for the jury's benefit.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday it had fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights in 2022 and 2023 in prohibited Iraqi airspace.
Canada's gross domestic product expanded at a faster-than-expected 0.2 per cent rate in July, driven by growth in retail trade and public sectors, but the economy likely stalled in August, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday.
Two weeks of testimony suggested the company responsible for an experimental deep-water submersible that imploded, killing five people, either recklessly ignored warning signs in the name of profits or represented the nation's explorer spirit in taking calculated risks to push humankind's boundaries.
A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.
Regina and John Zdravich left the U.S. for Italy after falling in love with the European country, then unexpectedly found themselves 'homeless.'
Home Depot was about to launch something big 鈥 really big 鈥 when the pandemic hit in the spring of 2020: a 12-foot skeleton.
The Toronto Raptors have confirmed that Vince Carter's No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
Canadian legend Christine Sinclair announced Friday that she will retire from playing professional soccer at the end of the season.
The Winnipeg Jets announced Friday they are signing Bryan Little to a one-day contract, allowing the centre to retire with the franchise he spent his entire NHL career with.
More than 12,000 vehicles in Canada are included in two separate recalls by Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda.
Ontario's Premier Doug Ford wants to dig Canada's largest city out of its traffic woes.
A bizarre discovery was made on a dirt road in Clearview Township.
When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.
A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.
Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.
Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.
A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.
An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.
An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.
Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.
The man who was killed in a shooting believed to be gang-related in Langley last week was also a suspect in a brutal road rage assault on a couple in Mission earlier this month, police have confirmed.
The BC Prosecution Service says it has approved a charge against a Vancouver police officer over a collision with a pedestrian in 2023.
A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.
Police have arrested four more people in connection with a viral video that showed a woman stealing a Porsche from a Mississauga driveway and then striking its owner as she attempted to flee the scene.
The Toronto Raptors have confirmed that Vince Carter's No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
Two Italian citizens have been apprehended after allegedly illegally crossing over the International Railroad Bridge to the United States.
The family of Jon Wells, a man who died in an incident involving Calgary police earlier this month, say they are seeking time to grieve their loss.
Calgary's mayor says a supervised consumption site isn't working, but the city is waiting for the province to take action.
Safaa went to Lebanon looking to meet with a specialist for her Crohn's disease. Now, she and her four children are caught in the conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah.
Parking rates at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) will increase as of Tuesday for patients, visitors and staff.
When Hurricane Helene roared ashore in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Thursday, former Ottawa resident Judy Brown felt its wrath.
A rat infestation in Overbrook is causing a major headache for residents, who say the problem is out of control. Rats can be seen in yards day and night, with no sign of relief.
A 31-year-old man has been charged following the death of a woman who went missing in southern Quebec earlier this week.
Montreal police say they've arrested a man in connection with the theft of tens of thousands of dollars in golf merchandise tied to the Presidents Cup PGA Tour being held this week in the city.
A former Montreal rabbi has been acquitted of sexual assault and sexual interference with a minor.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) says it hasn't seen a rise in fires related to lithium-ion batteries, but is still encouraging Edmontonians not to overcharge their devices.
You could grab a rake and get ahead of the falling leaves, maybe clean out the gutters, perhaps hit your nearest large hardware retailer to see if they've dared to roll out a selection of shovels. OR! Consider Edmonton's weekend forecast: sunny 鈥 and importantly, without snow.
One person was taken to hospital after a fire in west central Edmonton on Friday afternoon.
A youth who stabbed two staff members at a Bedford, N.S., high school in March 2023 has been sentenced to two years of probation, with certain conditions.
More than 550 symptomatic people responded to an online questionnaire about a gastrointestinal illness at a Prince Edward Island shellfish festival last weekend.
A 43-year-old man and a 45-year-old man, both from Sussex, N.B., have died as the result of a single-vehicle crash near Hay Settlement, N.B.
The Province of Manitoba has signed off on the sale of Portage Place, finalizing a deal with all three levels of government for True North to purchase the mall.
An Ontario woman who allegedly abducted her three children from Ontario and crossed into Manitoba was arrested in Saskatchewan this week.
Winnipeg police say the death of a cat in the West End area is suspicious, as officers investigate a slew of feline deaths in the city.
A man from Weyburn, Sask. died following a collision on Highway 1 just east of Regina on Friday morning.
George Gordon First Nation has completed their second phase in search of unmarked graves.
Saskatchewan's Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) says it has determined that RCMP officers fired their guns, as it continues its investigation into a fatal incident on Fishing Lake First Nation that left a 34-year-old man dead.
Advocates are demanding an apology after a staff report regarding the destruction of corn crops in Wilmot Township was found to be lacking in detail.
When Ontario鈥檚 minimum wage goes up on Oct. 1, another group of workers will also see an increase. But what is the homeworkers鈥 minimum wage?
Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are asking for the public鈥檚 help as they investigate two fires in the town of Erin, that are considered suspicious.
Saskatoon's homeless population is on pace to more than double in one year, according to data from the Saskatoon Fire Department.
In the aftermath of a fire that destroyed Snow White Family Restaurant in Biggar Saskatchewan, a GoFundMe has been created to help the owner start over.
The most important issues for Saskatchewan voters depends on which party they support, according to a new poll.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
The emotional cross-examination of the woman accusing Jacob Hoggard of sexual assault continued at his trial Friday, as the Canadian musician's defence lawyer sought to highlight possible issues with the complainant's memory.
There were some tense moments for a B.C. family this week after their dog came face-to-face with a protective mama bear right outside their front door.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims and Hikma Public Affairs Council have both released statements on social media regarding the reported incident.
An early morning collision in south London is raising questions about the actions of a garbage truck driver who accelerated in reverse 鈥 slamming into Rebekkah Wilkin鈥檚 car.
Both sides at the sexual assault trial of former Woodstock Mayor Trevor Birtch argued over whether the interactions he had with the female complainant were consensual or not.
A multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 in Bradford caused some traffic backups ahead of the weekend.
Several heavily armed officers descended on a home in the southeast area of Barrie Thursday afternoon after reports of a man armed with a crossbow.
Officers arrested a man accused of being impaired after he allegedly drove himself to the Barrie police station.
The Ontario government unveiled a new battery storage project in Tilbury that aims to provide reliable and affordable clean energy to families and businesses.
Over $100,000 has been donated to Brentwood Recovery Home on its 60th anniversary from St. Clair College and Windsor Rona+ stores.
Several events and ceremonies are taking place across Windsor and Essex County this weekend to honour the fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Monday, Sept. 30.
The BC Prosecution Service says it has approved a charge against a Vancouver police officer over a collision with a pedestrian in 2023.
A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.
A former Canadian military reservist has been sentenced to house arrest after posting a video of himself firing a shotgun at a picture of a member of Parliament whom he accused of being a "communist agent" for China.
A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.
The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.
A 10-year-old boy from Lethbridge is being praised as a hero after a routine summer outing at the pool nearly turned tragic for his friend.
A man and woman have been charged after a Lethbridge ice creamery was broken into earlier this week. Staff arrived at Cookie Crimes, in the 300 block of Sixth Street South, just before 5:30 a.m. on Monday to discover the front window broken.
Fire investigators are working to determine the cause of a blaze that killed about 9,000 turkey chicks in Vulcan County, Alta.
Police in Sault Ste. Marie have charged a 47-year-old suspect after a 911 caller reported someone asleep in line at a local drive-thru.
At its meeting Oct. 1, city council in Sault Ste. Marie will vote on a staff recommendation to buy the former Sault Area Hospital site on Queen Street East and Lucy Terrace.
Sault Police say a 50-year-old suspect had a busy morning Thursday, and is now charged with committing several offences between 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
Newfoundland and Labrador sponsored a minor football team in England, now they鈥檙e about to play one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.
