Federal Agents Raid NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ Official Mayoral Residence Following His Indictment, Seize His Phone & Evidence

Federal agents raided the official residence of New York City Mayor Eric Adams after he became the first sitting NYC mayor to be indicted on federal charges.

The residence known as Gracie Mansion, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, was raided early Thursday morning.

Agents confiscated an electronic device as part of an investigation into foreign influence and his 2021 campaign.

“Federal agents appeared this morning at Gracie Mansion to create a spectacle [again] and take Mayor Adams phone [again],” Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, said in a statement. “He has not been arrested and looks forward to his day in court. They send a dozen agents to pick up a phone when we would have happily turned it in.”

The law enforcement agents converged as a group before they marched up the driveway to start their search. A video shared on social media showed about a dozen agents in business attire gathering outside the building near a fleet of black SUVs. At least one had a federal law enforcement parking placard on its dashboard.

The group walked as one unit, suitcases and other bags in hand, up to the front door before entering the residence and disappearing from view.

The indictment against Adams was unsealed on Thursday morning. It shows the charges in the alleged campaign contribution scheme, which included bribery conspiracy, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations.

The charges assert illegal activity dating back to 2014 when Adams had been the Brooklyn borough president.

In 2018, after Adams announced plans to run for mayor, the indictment stated that he sought illegal campaign contributions and other valuables from foreign nationals who wanted to influence him. 

The activities proceeded during his time as mayor. “For nearly a decade, Adams sought and accepted improper valuable benefits, such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him,” the indictment stated.

Adams spoke at a briefing shortly after the charges against him had been announced.

“We are not surprised, we expected this,” he declared. “This is not surprising to us at all. The actions that have unfolded over the last ten months – the leaks, the commentary, the demonizing — this did not surprise us that we reached this day.”

“I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments,” he added. 

Adams also said, “from here, [his] attorneys will take care of the case, so I can take care of the city.”

“My day-to-day will not change,” the indicted mayor shared. “I will continue to do the job for 8.3 million New Yorkers that I was elected to do.”

In a press conference after the indictment was unsealed, Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, shared some of the charges against the mayor.

Williams said Adams accepted benefits such as international business class flights, luxury travel accommodations, and other perks and tried to cover them up as if he had paid for them.

“As we allege, year after year after year, he kept the public in the dark,” the attorney stated. “He told the public he received no gifts, even though he was secretly being showered with them. We allege that Adams accepted these benefits knowing they were given to him because of his position.”

He said that the gifts were worth more than $100,000.

On Wednesday night, Adams denied calls for his resignation, saying he still plans to be re-elected in 2025. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has the power to remove him from office.

In November 2023, Adams was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 1993. Her identity was hidden due to the sensitive nature of the accusation.

The three-page summons asserts that the mayor of New York City sexually assaulted her while they both worked for the City of New York. It did not offer additional details regarding the alleged assault.

On November 10, 2023, the FBI seized Adams’ phone and tablet, searching for information about alleged illegal campaign donations.