T
he Department of Investigation (DOI) is probing the actions of Jesse Hamilton, a longtime associate of Mayor Eric Adams who oversees city leases, including a last-minute decision to rent space from a major donor to the mayor's legal defense fund. The investigation is part of a broader inquiry into Hamilton's activities as deputy commissioner for real estate at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), according to sources.

    The DOI examination focuses on potential conflicts of interest between Hamilton and Diana Boutross, a Cushman & Wakefield broker who receives commissions from private landlords based on rent agreed upon by DCAS. The two were among a group that vacationed in Japan last September, then had their phones seized by the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

    The inquiry also looks into Hamilton's involvement in leasing deals worth millions of dollars, including a lease at 14 Wall St. where the owner, billionaire Alexander Rovt, had raised $15,000 for Adams' legal defense fund. After THE CITY first reported on the deal, officials confirmed that Hamilton intervened to favor 14 Wall St. despite underlings having already given a "best and final offer" to lease space elsewhere.

    DCAS Commissioner Louis Molina defended the deal during a City Council hearing, claiming it would save taxpayers $31 million. However, sources later said Molina misspoke, and the landlord of the alternative location would have paid for renovations under the tentative deal. DCAS has refused to release its full financial analysis on the lease.

    Since revelations about the 14 Wall St. deal surfaced, First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer began reviewing all DCAS leases, pausing negotiations on the 14 Wall St. lease while that review is ongoing. The inquiry also looks into Hamilton's involvement in pitching a warehouse purchase to city agency heads, including an unusual video he posted on Facebook touting its benefits.