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s authorities investigate New York City's leasing of office buildings, a commercial brokerage has filed a lawsuit against Cushman & Wakefield, alleging defamatory statements by three of its brokers. JRT Realty, which has worked with Cushman on leasing deals for years, claims that Diana Boutross, Gus Field, and Ron LoRusso made false statements to the city agency in charge of office leasing.

    The move comes as Mayor Eric Adams' top aide Ingrid Lewis-Martin resigned amid an investigation into possible bribery and money laundering involving commercial property leases. Prosecutors seized phones from Boutross, Lewis-Martin, and Jesse Hamilton, a deputy commissioner at DCAS, during a trip to Japan last September.

    JRT's lawsuit could signal that a formal complaint against Cushman & Wakefield is in the works. A spokesperson for Cushman declined to comment on the allegations, saying only that they would review and respond if a complaint is filed.

    The dispute between JRT and Cushman has been brewing since 2023, when Boutross took over the account from Bob Giglio and pushed woman-owned JRT aside. The city's MWBE target was also reduced, sparking criticism from City Council member Lincoln Restler, who accused Hamilton and Boutross of rebuffing efforts to increase minority- and women-owned businesses' participation in leasing deals.

    The DCAS has faced scrutiny over its handling of office leases, with some officials questioning the agency's reliance on a small number of commercial brokerages. The city wants to increase the number of brokerages it works with to five, but critics argue that this may not be enough to address concerns about bias and favoritism in leasing deals.

    The investigation into the Adams administration is ongoing, with other probes focusing on leasing activity and potential conflicts of interest.