New York Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on federal charges on Thursday for allegedly accepting illegal campaign contributions from sources in Turkey, making him the city's first leader to be criminally charged while in office.
Mr Adams, who was a police officer for more than two decades, also faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal bribery and receiving campaign donations from foreign parties, according to an unsealed indictment by the US District Court of the Southern District of New York.
“By smuggling their contributions to Adams through US-based straw donors, Adams's overseas contributors defeated federal laws that serve to prevent foreign influence on US elections,” the 57-page indictment states.
Federal prosecutors detailed accusations of the mayor's relations with a Turkish senior official that co-ordinated donations to his campaign, in exchange for travel on Turkish Airlines.
The official also recently began managing donations for Mr Adams' 2025 re-election campaign with secret meetings, the prosecutors allege, with Mr Adams and his aides trying to conceal their criminal conduct in accepting the funds.
The prosecutors claim Mr Adams “sought and accepted well over $100,000 in luxury travel benefits” and failed to disclose them as a city government employee.
The unnamed official later urged Mr Adams to order the New York Fire Department to “facilitate the opening of a new Turkish consular building – a 36-storey skyscraper – without a fire inspection, in time for a high-profile visit by Turkey's President”.
The prosecutors also claimed multiple Turkish business people formed relations with Mr Adams while he was Brooklyn Borough president and accused the mayoral candidate at the time of knowingly letting them give campaign funds through local US citizens who were allowed to donate – in what is called a “straw” donor scheme.
Mr Adams's indictment is the latest in a series of legal actions against his aides and other city leaders, prompting resignations including by the police commissioner and the head of the school system.
FBI agents searched Mr Adams's home on Thursday morning and seized his phone, local media and his lawyer reported.
“It’s an unfortunate day, and it's a painful day,” Mr Adams said after the indictment was unsealed.
Federal prosecutors, who began their work about a year ago, have been looking into whether Mr Adams's mayoral campaign in 2021 accepted contributions from a company connected to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
FBI agents seized Mr Adams's electronic devices in November last year. The Associated Press reported that prosecutors are believed to be conducting multiple and separate probes into the mayor and his senior aides, relatives of those aides, campaign fund-raising and possible influence peddling of local departments.
The indictment by a grand jury was first reported by the New York Times on Wednesday evening when the court documents were still sealed. Mr Adams published a video shortly after and said he was a “target” in a criminal case “based on lies”, vowing to fight the charges.
“If I'm charged, I know I'm innocent. I will request an immediate trial so New Yorkers can hear the truth,” he said. “I will fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit.”
Mr Adams has rebuffed calls to resign by local politicians and leaders, including House of Representative member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The indictment comes after a legal and political saga involving former New Jersey senator Bob Menendez, who was found guilty of corruption charges and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt.
World Cup warm-up fixtures
Friday, May 24:
- Pakistan v Afghanistan (Bristol)
- Sri Lanka v South Africa (Cardiff)
Saturday, May 25
- England v Australia (Southampton)
- India v New Zealand (The Oval, London)
Sunday, May 26
- South Africa v West Indies (Bristol)
- Pakistan v Bangladesh (Cardiff)
Monday, May 27
- Australia v Sri Lanka (Southampton)
- England v Afghanistan (The Oval, London)
Tuesday, May 28
- West Indies v New Zealand (Bristol)
- Bangladesh v India (Cardiff)
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South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
Long Shot
Director: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogan
Four stars
Squads
Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
Results
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Hassan Al Hammadi.
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Bainoona, Ricardo Iacopini, Eric Lemartinel.
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: Assyad, Victoria Larsen, Eric Lemartinel.
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m
Winner: Mashhur Al Khalediah, Jean-Bernard Eyquem, Phillip Collington.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Day 5, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Given the problems Sri Lanka have had in recent times, it was apt the winning catch was taken by Dinesh Chandimal. He is one of seven different captains Sri Lanka have had in just the past two years. He leads in understated fashion, but by example. His century in the first innings of this series set the shock win in motion.
Stat of the day This was the ninth Test Pakistan have lost in their past 11 matches, a run that started when they lost the final match of their three-Test series against West Indies in Sharjah last year. They have not drawn a match in almost two years and 19 matches, since they were held by England at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2015.
The verdict Mickey Arthur basically acknowledged he had erred by basing Pakistan’s gameplan around three seam bowlers and asking for pitches with plenty of grass in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Why would Pakistan want to change the method that has treated them so well on these grounds in the past 10 years? It is unlikely Misbah-ul-Haq would have made the same mistake.
High profile Al Shabab attacks
- 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
- 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
- 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
- 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
- 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
- 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
