On Friday, November 1st, New York City Mayor Eric Adams appeared in court once again to fight ongoing charges that are set to be heard in trial on April 21, 2025. According to court records, the mayor is accused of taking bribes and using his political position to influence others as he fought to become mayor again.

Prosecutors say that they’ve already reviewed about 24 different electronic devices that they seized during their investigation. The investigators have not, however, had the ability to search through the suspect’s cell phone. Police say that the suspect turned his phone over to the police, but he changed his password right before giving it to them. Once it was in the hands of the authorities, Adams claimed he couldn’t remember what the password was. Investigators haven’t been able to infiltrate the phone yet.

Despite that, prosecutors still believe they have enough evidence to pursue charges including accepting bribes, committing wire fraud, and being involved in a conspiracy.

In the indictment, it’s mentioned that Adams accepted luxury travel perks and flight upgrades that were valued at $100,000 from a Turkish government official as well as other foreign nationals. The indictment alleges that these perks were given to Adams in exchange for influence and favor.

In one instance, prosecutors believe Adams pressured a fire department in 2021 to approve the opening of a diplomatic tower, which benefited the Turkish government. The fire department was hesitant to open the tower because they had determined that it wasn’t safe, but they listened to the mayor anyway.

Adams has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He’s also adamant about maintaining his position as mayor until he’s proven guilty.

The mayor’s defense team is arguing that receiving the flight perks doesn’t meet the definition of bribery because he wasn’t actually mayor yet. The team is also saying that the prosecution is attempting to criminalize “normal and perfectly lawful acts.” Lawyers called the perks and flight upgrades “classic gratuities.”

Bribery Penalties in New York

Bribery is taken extremely seriously in New York, especially when the person being bribed wields significant political power. In the case of Mayor Adams, his charges are:

• One count of conspiracy to receive campaign contributions from foreign nationals and commit wire fraud and bribery – maximum sentence of 5 years in prison
• One count of wire fraud – maximum sentence of 20 years in prison
• Two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals – each carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison
• One count of soliciting and accepting a bribe – maximum sentence of 10 years in prison

Wire fraud happens when individuals use electronic communications to defraud someone or obtain money through false pretenses. Since the mayor allegedly used electronic communications to coordinate some of the contributions and perks, he’s also being charged with wire fraud.

If you ever face charges with such significant penalties, then it’s always in your best interest to hire a defense attorney. The right attorney can help you understand your charges, navigate through the criminal justice system, and strategically plan out a defense that will strengthen your legal position.

If you’re ready to get started on defending yourself, then schedule a case review with our team today.