Eric Adams, the Democratic mayor of New York City, has been indicted by federal prosecutors on charges including illegal campaign contributions.
On the 26th (local time), Bloomberg News cited the indictment released that morning by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, reporting that Mayor Adams is accused of receiving illegal campaign funds from foreigners during the 2021 mayoral election.
It is also reported that Mayor Adams received improper benefits such as luxury trips from wealthy foreign businessmen and Turkish government officials for about 10 years, starting from his tenure as Brooklyn Borough President. In particular, he is accused of receiving benefits from Turkish diplomats, including free upgrades on various round-trip flights departing from New York, business class airline tickets, and discounted hotel accommodations.
Mayor Adams has maintained a close relationship with Turkey, having visited the country at least six times and meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an during his time as borough president.
As the second Black mayor in New York City's history, Mayor Adams faces a significant blow to his political career due to this indictment. A former police officer, he was elected on a platform of running the city based on law and order, but this scandal inevitably deals a fatal blow to his morality and integrity. Calls for Mayor Adams' resignation are growing louder.
The mayor's office has strongly denied the charges and stated their intention to fight the prosecution.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
