M
ayor Eric Adams has vowed to stay in office despite a federal indictment accusing him of accepting illegal campaign contributions and lavish overseas trips from Turkish officials and businesspeople. The five-count indictment outlines alleged corruption that began during Adams' time as an elected official in Brooklyn and continued through his mayoral administration.

    A Brooklyn real estate magnate, Erden Arkan, pleaded guilty to working with a Turkish government official to funnel illegal campaign contributions to Mayor Adams' campaign. Arkan admitted to reimbursing employees for donations made to the mayor's campaign, which were then used to fraudulently obtain public matching funds under the city's campaign finance program.

    The scheme allegedly involved a fundraiser hosted by Arkan in May 2021, where 10 employees contributed between $1,200 and $1,500 each. These contributions were later reimbursed by Arkan, rendering them illegal straw donations. Adams then allegedly used those funds to fraudulently obtain public money under the city's matching funds program.

    Arkan is the first individual to plead guilty in a sprawling federal indictment brought against Adams in September. The indictment accuses Adams of soliciting the illegal contributions during an April 2021 dinner with Arkan and the Turkish official, as well as accepting luxury travel benefits and other bribes from foreign nationals seeking to influence his administration.

    Adams has pleaded not guilty and vowed to remain in office as he fights the charges "with every ounce of my strength and my spirit." He is set to stand trial on April 21st. Arkan will be sentenced in August.