NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on federal charges, US media reported on Wednesday, following several investigations into alleged corruption in his administration and the resignation of top officials. The exact allegations in the sealed indictment were not yet clear, the New York Times reported, which added that Adams is now the first sitting New York City mayor to face such charges. The former Democratic police officer faces at least four federal investigations, three of which are being handled by the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, which is probing people in the mayor’s orbit and high-ranking officials in his administration. Adams, who is up for re-election in 2025, took the stand as usual during the investigation. Earlier in the day, House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called on the 64-year-old mayor to resign “for the good of the city” — the first time a national figure has publicly called on him to step down from leading the United States. . the states largest city. The indictment comes in an already dark week for Adams, whose team has been rocked by the resignations of Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan and Education Chancellor David Banks, a close friend of the mayor whose department manages the city’s public education system that serves one million students. The departures, effective at the end of 2024, follow the immediate resignations of Police Chief Edward Caban — who quit just a year after taking charge of the city’s police force and its 36,000 uniformed officers — and Adams’ lead attorney, Lisa Zornberg. . Caban, whose electronics were seized by federal investigators, resigned when federal agents appeared to be targeting security activities at his twin’s nightclubs. The investigation’s revelations revealed personal and business ties among the mayor’s inner circle, raising potential conflicts of interest.
