Newly unsealed court documents released on Friday, May 9th, shed more light on the now-dismissed federal corruption investigation involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The records detail how federal agents continued pursuing the case even as top Justice Department officials moved to shut it down.
The documents—including search warrants, affidavits, and investigative applications—were made public after legal action from The New York Times and other media outlets. They reveal that in the days before the Justice Department ordered the case dropped in February, investigators were actively conducting searches and collecting digital evidence.
The investigation began in August 2021, months before Adams was elected mayor, and centered on suspected illegal campaign donations from his time as Brooklyn borough president. Federal agents executed multiple searches across New York and New Jersey, including at the homes of Adams’ associates and his partner, Tracey Collins. As part of a probe involving the Turkish consulate, a warrant was issued to search Collins’ Fort Lee apartment, where five iPhones were seized.
Another warrant allowed access to Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence. Adams, who frequently stayed there, was also linked to a suspected straw donor scheme involving his 2020 campaign. Agents also searched a Middletown home and other locations.
In January 2022, Adams reportedly showed interest in raising funds from Turkish businesspeople for his 2025 reelection. Investigators also claimed he attempted to block access to a personal phone after a Gracie Mansion raid. Prosecutors were said to be preparing obstruction charges before the case was dropped.
Former acting U.S. attorney Danielle Sassoon said her office was ready to file more charges. After the case was dismissed, four deputy mayors and several prosecutors resigned in protest.
“This case — the first of its kind airline upgrade ‘corruption’ case — should never have been brought in the first place and is now over,” said Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro.
Adams has refuted all allegations and has opted out of the Democratic primary, announcing his bid to run as an independent in the general election.
