On Thursday morning, FBI agents conducted a predawn raid at New York City's mayoral mansion following the indictment of Mayor Eric Adams by a federal grand jury. Sources revealed that Mayor Adams had been indicted, leading to the raid.
In response, Mayor Adams released a video statement denying the charges, calling them 'entirely false' and 'based on lies.' He suggested that his criticism of the Biden administration's immigration policies may have made him a target for retaliation.
During the raid, agents seized the mayor's phone, although it remains unclear whether Adams was present at Gracie Mansion when the raid took place. Adams was not arrested during the operation, according to his lawyer.
Legal experts, including a defense attorney and legal surrogate for the Trump campaign, raised questions about the potential political motivations behind the case. They speculated that the federal government may have been serving a warrant to seize data from the mayor's devices.
Mayor Adams condemned the federal government's actions, accusing them of conducting a pressure campaign to undermine his credibility. He maintained his innocence and vowed to fight the accusations with all his strength.
Despite calls for his resignation, Adams asserted that he was elected to lead the city and would continue to do so. The details of the indictment were expected to be made public later on Thursday.
Recent raids by federal agents have targeted individuals in Adams' inner circle, including the new police commissioner and other top aides. The FBI has been investigating potential connections between Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign and foreign entities for fundraising purposes.
As the situation unfolds, the city awaits further developments in the case against Mayor Eric Adams.