Research on Adams and associates
Adams, his campaign and Turkey
Senior assistants and employees of the city hall
Brother of former police commissioner
Eric Adams
Timothy Pearson
Philip Banks III
David C. Banks
Sheena Wright
Edward A. Caban
Winnie Greco
Brianna Suggs
Erik Ulrich
Rana Abbasova
Raul Pintos
James Caban
Terence Banks
Dwayne Montgomery
Cenk Öcal
Commander of the Queens District
Commander of the Queens District
Research on Adams and associates
Adams, his campaign and Turkey
Senior assistants and employees of the city hall
Brother of former police commissioner
Several federal corruption investigations have reached people close to New York Mayor Eric Adams, putting Mr. Adams and some of the highest officials in his administration under scrutiny.
Officials at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, which is conducting three of the four federal criminal investigations, have declined to answer questions about the scope of the investigation.
The full scope of the federal investigation is unclear. Neither the mayor nor others who had their homes searched, their devices seized, or information sought from them have been charged with a crime, and it is possible that some of those targeted in searches are merely witnesses. The city’s Investigations Department is involved in all four investigations.
State-level prosecutions and civil cases have also hit the Adams administration.
Here’s a closer look at how people linked to Mr Adams, who is up for re-election next year, are linked to the investigations.
Federal investigation into Adams, his campaign and ties to Turkey
Eric Adams
Mayor
Devices seized and summoned
Brianna Suggs
Former Chief Fundraiser
Reassigned following search and seizure of devices
Rana Abbasova
Assistant on leave
Cooperate in investigation after a house search
Cenk Öcal
Former director of Turkish Airlines
Wanted at home
This investigation, by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, appears to focus in part on whether the Adams 2021 campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign donations, and whether Mr. Adams pressured the fire brigade to approve a new high-rise Turkish consulate despite safety concerns.
Last November, home of Brooklyn Brianna Suggsthen Mr. Adams’s top fundraiser, was searched by federal agents. Weeks later, he said she was leaving the role. Federal agents also searched homes in New Jersey Rana Abbasovaan assistant in the Mayor’s International Affairs Office and former Turkish community liaison for Mr. Adams, and Cenk Öcala former director of Turkish Airlines who was a member of the mayor’s transition team. Ms Abbasova is cooperating with the investigation.
FBI agents stopped Mr. Adams at an event in November and seized his electronic devices. In July, prosecutors served a new round of grand jury subpoenas on Mr. Adams, his office and his campaign for a range of materials.
Federal investigation into the twin brother of the ex-police commissioner
Edward A. Caban
Former police commissioner
Resigned after phone was confiscated
Raul Pintos
Chief of Staff under Caban
Phone confiscated
James Caban
Former police officer
Phone confiscated
Commander of the Queens District
Phone confiscated
Commander of the Queens District
Phone confiscated
At the request of the town hall Edward A. Caban resigned as police commissioner this week, just days after federal agents seized his phone. Raul Pintoswho served as chief of staff under Mr. Caban, and the phones of the commanders of two Queens precincts were also seized.
This investigation, by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, appears to focus on a nightclub security company owned by Mr. Caban’s twin brother, James Caban. James Caban, a former New York City police officer who was fired in 2001, also had his phone confiscated.
Attorneys for Edward Caban have said prosecutors told them he was not a target of the investigation.
Federal investigation into senior aides and City Hall employees
Timothy Pearson
Senior advisor to the mayor
Information sought from
Philip Banks III
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety
Phone confiscated
David C. Banks
Chancellor of Schools
Phones confiscated
Sheena Wright
First Deputy Mayor
Phone confiscated
Terence Banks
Consultant
House searched and telephone seized
This investigation, by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, appears to focus on a possible bribery scheme involving a government relations consulting firm run by Terence Banksa brother of Philip Banks IIIthe deputy mayor for public safety, and of David C. Banksthe school chancellor.
Terence Banks also helped raise money for Mr Adams’ 2021 campaign and served on his transition committee.
The investigation, which appears to be in its early stages, appears to focus at least in part on city contracts issued under programs targeting small businesses owned by women and members of minority groups.
This month, federal agents seized the phones of several top City Hall employees: the first deputy mayor, Sheena Wright; David Banks, her partner; and Phillip Banks. Researchers have also gathered information Timothy Pearsona senior advisor to Mr. Adams, one of the mayor’s closest confidantes.
A lawyer for Terence Banks said he and his client had been “assured by the government” that Mr Banks was not the target of the investigation. A lawyer for Philip Banks said his client had done nothing wrong. David Banks said he was cooperating with a federal investigation and told reporters that his lawyer had been told that Mr. Banks was “absolutely not a target in whatever this investigation is about.”
Other investigations and legal matters
Winnie Greco
Former campaign fundraiser
Several homes were searched
Erik Ulrich
Former building commissioner
Accused of taking bribes
Dwayne Montgomery
Former police inspector
Pleaded guilty to conspiracy
Timothy Pearson
Senior advisor to the mayor
The fourth federal investigation, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, led to a search in February of homes owned by Winnie Grecoa close aide to Mr. Adams, who was then his director of Asian affairs and a prominent campaign fundraiser. City officials said at the time that Ms. Greco would be placed on unpaid leave during the investigation, but This is reported by the website De Stad by May she had returned to a government job. The prosecutor’s office declined to answer questions.
Last year, Erik Ulricha former Department of Buildings commissioner appointed to the post by Mr. Adams was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on 16 counts, including conspiracy and accepting bribes. He had previously resigned after news of the investigation became public. Mr. Ulrich has pleaded not guilty, according to court records.
In February, a retired police inspector said, Dwayne Montgomerypleaded guilty to state charges in Manhattan, admitting that he directed so-called straw donors — people who make campaign donations with someone else’s money — to contribute to the mayor’s 2021 campaign.
Mr. Pearson is also facing several lawsuits over allegations of sexual harassment. A lawyer representing him denied wrongdoing on his behalf. In recent days, two security guards who physically assaulted Mr. Pearson at a Midtown migrant shelter last fall said they planned to sue him and the city for false arrest and malicious prosecution. An attorney representing him did not return a call for comment.
Earlier this year, a woman filed a lawsuit Mr. Adamsaccusing him of asking for oral sex in exchange for career help in 1993 and sexually assaulting her when she refused. Mr Adams has denied assaulting the woman.
