NYC Mayor Eric Adams federal corruption investigation: Timeline of events leading up to indictment
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a federal grand jury, amid multiple federal investigations that began late last year, and that has now thrusted City Hall into crisis.
The federal investigations into the Adams administration first emerged publicly on Nov. 2, 2023, when FBI agents conducted an early morning raid on the Brooklyn home of Adams' chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs.
It culminated with an indictment that was unsealed Thursday charging the mayor with bribery, solicitation of illegal foreign campaign contributions, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud -- charges that expose the mayor to significant prison time if convicted.
ALSO READ: What is Mayor Eric Adams charged with? Read the indictment
Below is a timeline of events leading up to the mayor's indictment.
Timeline of events in Mayor Adams federal investigation:
November 2, 2023 - FBI agents search the Brooklyn home of Brianna Suggs, a top fundraiser for Mayor Eric Adams. They also search the New Jersey home of Rana Abbasova, the mayor's international affairs aid. Adams flew to Washington, D.C. and then flew back despite immigration meetings scheduled with the White House.
November 6, 2023 - The FBI seizes Mayor Adam's electronic devices, including iPad and cell phone as part of the federal probe. Sources say they're looking into whether the mayor's campaign received foreign donations from Turkey.
November 15, 2023 - Mayor Adams launches a legal defense fund to pay for expenses in connection with inquiries by the U.S. Attorney's office into his 2021 mayoral campaign.
February 29, 2024 - The FBI searches Bronx home of Winnie Greco, the director of Asian Affairs for Adam's administration.
April 5, 2024 - ABC News reports the FBI is investigating whether Adams received free upgrades on Turkish Airlines.
July 2024 - Federal prosecutors serve Adams grand jury subpoenas as part of what sources say is an ongoing corruption investigation involving whether his campaign sought illegal donations from Turkey in exchange for pressuring the fire department to rush an inspection of the new Turkish consulate in New York City. The mayor told WABC there was no criminality.
September 4, 2024 - FBI searches the homes of two of mayor's closest aids: the upper Manhattan home of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, engaged to Schools Chancellor David Banks who had his personal and work phone seized. They also searched the Queen's home of Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, and Terence Banks, a business consultant. Seized evidence, electronics.
September 5, 2024 - Federal investigators subpoenaed the cell phones of four high ranking NYPD officials, including then NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and his twin brother James Caban. Tim Pearson, a close advisor to Adams also had his cell phone seized.
September 12, 2024 - Commissioner Caban resigns, telling officers that he didn't want the investigations "to create a distraction."
"The noise around recent developments has made that impossible and has hindered the important work our city requires," he said.
September 14, 2024 - Lisa Zornberg, City Hall Chief Counsel, resigns after a year on the job. She had advised Adams and other city officials on legal strategy for over a year and often parried legal questions from the press on his behalf. She was not his personal lawyer.
"It has been a great honor to serve the City. I am tendering my resignation, effective today, as I have concluded that I can no longer effectively serve in my position. I wish you nothing but the best," Zornberg wrote in a three-sentence resignation letter to Adams.
September 16, 2024 - Two retired FDNY chiefs, Brian Cordasco and Anthony Saccavino, are arrested following a year-long corruption investigation.
September 20, 2024 - Federal prosecutors subpoena the director overseeing New York City's Office for Asylum Seekers, Molly Schaeffer.
September 21, 2024 - Federal agents search the home of the interim NYPD Commissioner Thomas Donlon. He says it was unrelated to the police department.
September 23, 2024 - New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan announces that he will resign and will leave his office by January of 2025, saying he wants to spend more time with his family. He said his decision was not in response to the ongoing investigations into the Adams administration.
September 24, 2024 - New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks announces his retirement.
September 25, 2024 - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez becomes the most prominent name to call for Adams to resign. In a statement posted on 'X' on Wednesday, Ocasio-Cortez said, "I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City," amid the wave of resignations and investigations into the top ranks of his administration.
September 26, 2024 - The federal indictment against Adams is unsealed. The mayor is indicted on charges that he took illegal campaign contributions and bribes from foreign nationals, including lavish overseas trips, in exchange for favors that included helping Turkish officials bypass a fire inspection for a new diplomatic tower in the city. He said he is "not surprised" and doesn't plan to resign.
ABC News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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