Federal investigators were working to uncover evidence of corruption in New York City Mayor Eric Adams' dealings when their investigation was unexpectedly terminated.
According to The New York Times, newly released documents reveal that just three days after obtaining a warrant to search a potential witness's phone in February, federal authorities were ordered by the Trump administration to abandon their nearly four-year investigation into Adams' alleged bribery and fraud.
The investigation, which began in August 2021, focused on Adams' fund-raising activities and his connections to Turkey's government.
Federal prosecutors had already secured a five-count corruption indictment against Adams, including charges of bribery, wire fraud, and solicitation of illegal foreign donations.
FBI Agents Planned Marathon Device Seizure
Previously undisclosed documents showed that FBI agents had initially planned to seize Adams' electronic devices at the New York City Marathon finish line on November 5, 2023.
Instead, they approached him the following evening outside a Greenwich Village event, instructing his security detail to step aside before confiscating the devices.
After the seizure attempt, investigators suspected Adams of attempting to obstruct their efforts to obtain his personal cellphone. The mayor claimed he had changed the password to prevent staff access and subsequently forgot it, stating he had left the device at City Hall for an aide to take to an Apple Store.
Federal agents discovered through location data that the phone was actually moving uptown, contradicting Adams' statement. His lawyers later revised this account, explaining that an aide had removed the phone from City Hall without the mayor's knowledge.
Evidence Points to Witness Tampering Investigation
Judge Dale E. Ho stated that the situation appears to involve a deal—dropping the charges in return for changes to immigration policy.
The investigation's scope extended beyond the initial corruption charges, with documents revealing Adams was also being investigated for witness tampering.
This stemmed from an incident where his aide allegedly pressured an Uzbek businessman and his employees to lie to the FBI about a straw donor scheme benefiting Adams' campaign.
Mounting Evidence Against NYC Mayor
Federal prosecutors had amassed substantial evidence against Adams, including data from 21 communication devices and accounts, representing only a third of the total 60-70 devices and accounts under investigation.
The evidence collection included 300,000 pages of subpoenaed documents and 4,000 records from City Hall, totaling 1.6 terabytes of data.
The case's dismissal triggered significant controversy within the Justice Department. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove III's directive to dismiss the case led to multiple resignations, including interim U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon, who characterized the situation as an apparent "quid pro quo" in her resignation letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Several other department officials in Washington, D.C., and Manhattan also resigned in protest of the decision. The dismissal sparked widespread criticism, with many suggesting Adams and the Trump administration had engaged in a corrupt exchange - trading the case's dismissal for assistance in addressing illegal immigration.
Political Ramifications of Case Dismissal
Investigation files indicate federal authorities spent nearly four years building their case against Mayor Eric Adams before the Trump administration's intervention led to its dismissal.
The extensive corruption probe spanned multiple aspects of Adams' political career, including his 2021 and 2025 mayoral campaigns.
Mayor Adams maintains his innocence and has suggested divine intervention through the Trump administration corrected what he views as an unjust prosecution. Following the case's dismissal, Adams visited the White House, where President Trump told reporters that he believed Adams had come "to thank me" and that they had discussed "almost nothing."
