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NYC Mayor Eric Adams Indicted in Federal Corruption Probe of Governance
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NYC Mayor Eric Adams Indicted in Federal Corruption Probe of Governance

NEW YORK (WABC) — New York Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that remain undisclosed, according to sources familiar with the matter.

This latest development makes Adams the first mayor in New York City history to be indicted while in office.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.

Adams responded to the charges in a statement Wednesday evening.

“I always knew that if I took a stand for New Yorkers, I would be a target — and a target I was. If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight this with all my strength and spirit,” he said.

The police officer turned politician and members of his inner circle have faced federal investigations for nearly a year.

His cellphones were seized and in recent weeks the homes of some of his closest confidants have been searched by federal agents working on various corruption investigations.

Two weeks ago, the mayor accepted the resignation of Edward Caban, his hand-picked police chief, after authorities issued a subpoena for his phones.

The mayor’s chief legal officer, Lisa Zornberg, resigned. This week, schools chancellor David Banks announced plans to retire at the end of the year. Banks also turned over his phone to federal authorities.

The phones of Banks’ younger brothers, Philip, the deputy mayor for public safety, and Terence, were also seized. The phone of David Banks’ fiancée, Sheena Wright, the first deputy mayor, was also seized.

RELATED | Adams Responds to AOC’s Call to Resign: ‘I’ll Stay and Fight’

Adams has said that as a former police officer, he has always followed the rules. He has also said that he is not aware of any “wrongdoing” within his administration.

He has repeatedly said he is not aware of any wrongdoing. He dismissed speculation that he would be charged as “rumors and innuendo.” On Wednesday afternoon, he promised to remain in office.

“The people of this city elected me to fight for them, and I will continue to fight no matter what,” Adams said.

The federal investigation into his administration first became public on Nov. 2, 2023, when FBI agents raided the Brooklyn home of Adams’ top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, in the early morning.

Adams insisted at the time that he was following the law, saying he would be “shocked” if anyone in his campaign were to act illegally. “I can’t tell you how many times I start my day by telling my team that we have to follow the law,” he told reporters at the time.

Days later, FBI agents seized the mayor’s phones and iPad as he left an event in Manhattan. The interaction was made public by the mayor’s attorney several days later.

Other investigations focused on city contracts and the enforcement of regulations for bars and clubs.

Adams was only the second African American to lead the nation’s largest city. He was hailed as the vanguard of a new generation of Democratic leaders who could both support law enforcement and chart a progressive course after a pandemic devastated the city.

He has led the city through a remarkable drop in violent crime after a COVID-era surge that left business owners and residents complaining that New York was sliding back into the bad old days of the 1980s.

According to sources, Adams is not expected to appear in court until next week.

ABC News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

This is breaking news. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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