New York — FBI agents seized iPhones and iPads from New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Corruption investigation into campaign fundraising.
The seizure took place on Monday night. The FBI approached the mayor on the street, asked him to drop his security, and confiscated two iPhones and an iPod. A few days later they were sent back.
Boyd Johnson, Adams’ campaign attorney, released the following statement, raising questions about some form of impropriety by someone close to him:
“After learning of a federal investigation, an individual was recently found to have engaged in misconduct. In the spirit of transparency and cooperation, this behavior was immediately reported to investigators in advance. The mayor promised to cooperate in the matter. On Monday night, the FBI approached the mayor after an incident. The mayor immediately complied with the FBI’s request and provided them with electronic provided the devices. The mayor has pleaded not guilty and continues to cooperate with the investigation.”
On Wednesday, in his weekly meeting with reporters, Adams faced a bewildering array of questions The FBI raided the home of his chief campaign fundraiser Brianna Suggs. The mayor did not disclose that he had been approached by FBI agents who seized his electronic devices two days earlier.
Sources told CBS New York political reporter Marcia Kramer that information Adams’ attorneys turned to investigators did not involve Suggs, but someone else in the mayor’s circle.
Sources have denied identifying the man, but information about them is believed to be on one of the mayor’s devices, which were returned to him days later.
An FBI spokesman declined to comment.
Check out Marcia Kramer’s report
“This lays the groundwork for the conspiracy to thicken significantly regarding the mayor’s involvement,” Kean University professor David Birdsell told CBS New York.
Birdsell says that while there is no implication of guilt, it certainly raises the stakes for the mayor.
“Until now, no one has made any allegations about the mayor’s involvement in possible fundraising from foreign sources, in this case, Turkish sources, but now they are seizing his devices,” he said.
What is the FBI looking for?
“Text messages, you’re going to find. Emails, you’re going to find. And more importantly, you’re going to find evidence of when the calls were made or received and who made or received those calls,” said former U.S. Attorney Zachary Carter.
The mayor released his own statement, saying, “As a former member of law enforcement, I expect all of my employees to follow the law and cooperate fully with any kind of investigation — and I will continue to do so. I have nothing. Hide.”