On the morning of the 26th, federal agents executed a surprise operation at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of Mayor Eric Adams in Manhattan, just before a press conference by prosecutors. They seized the mayor’s cellphone, but Adams responded that he had recently changed the phone’s password from four digits to six and had forgotten it.
Around 11 a.m. that same day, details of the indictment against Adams were made public, revealing five federal charges, including bribery, fraud, and illegal foreign campaign contributions. This places him in the history books as the first sitting mayor of New York City to face such serious allegations.
Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, confirmed that federal agents were at the mayor’s residence to take possession of the phone and clarified that the mayor was not under arrest. “They sent over a dozen agents to retrieve the phone, and we were more than willing to comply,” Spiro stated. He acknowledged that while searching a sitting mayor’s residence is a significant move, it is a standard procedure in federal investigations to conduct such actions during the early morning hours.
The indictment revealed that during a search of Adams’ electronic devices by the FBI in November 2023, he claimed not to have his personal phone available. Although he later provided the device, he told investigators he had switched the password from four digits to six but couldn’t recall it. Eventually, Adams managed to supply the FBI with the correct password to unlock his phone. Reports indicate that during the questioning, one of Adams’ aides attempted to delete communication records by rushing to the restroom.
Since 2021, Adams has been under investigation concerning potential collusion with the Turkish government during his campaign and the acceptance of illegal foreign donations. Authorities have also looked into whether he pressured fire department officials to ignore safety regulations to facilitate a Turkish government project for a new consulate building in Manhattan. On November 6, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant in a public setting, marking the first instance of such action taken against Adams in this ongoing investigation.
The indictment also outlined that when a subpoena was issued for his phone, federal agents found it locked and requiring a password for access. Adams stated that upon learning of the investigation, he changed the password to prevent either staff inadvertently or intentionally deleting any content, but he ended up forgetting the new password, which hindered the federal agents’ ability to access the device.
Following the release of the indictment details on the morning of the 26th, Adams quickly convened a press conference at Gracie Mansion. “Today is an unfortunate and painful day,” he remarked. “I look forward to defending myself while also protecting the people of this city, just as I have throughout my career.” As of the deadline, over 40 elected officials have called for Adams to resign.
