A
tangled web of influence and power has come to light in New York City's real estate scene, with a high-stakes lawsuit alleging that a prominent broker leveraged her connections to secure a lucrative government contract. Diana Boutross, a Cushman & Wakefield executive, is accused by JRT Realty of using her relationships with Ingrid Lewis-Martin and Jesse Hamilton to gain an unfair advantage in the deal. The amended complaint, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, claims that Boutross's personal ties to the two city officials allowed her to manipulate the contract terms and block JRT from sharing in commissions.

    The suit alleges that Hamilton, a top official at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, pressured Cushman & Wakefield to install Boutross as its main executive on the contract. Lewis-Martin, who resigned as Mayor Adams's chief adviser in December, is accused of helping Boutross secure modifications to city rules that allowed her to more easily block JRT from sharing in commissions.

    The lawsuit also claims that Boutross hinted at having "friends in high places" when speaking with JRT executives, using the phrase "I have a rabbi" to imply she had connections that could make things easier. Around the same time, Hamilton allegedly told Boutross's boss that she should be tapped to oversee the contract, saying "She is my broker."

    The allegations come as Lewis-Martin faces bribery and money laundering charges stemming from an alleged real estate scheme. Her lawyer and prosecutors met in court Thursday to discuss trial preparations, while Mayor Adams's federal corruption case remains pending.

    Boutross and her colleagues at Cushman & Wakefield are accused of defamation, contract breaches, tortious business interference, and other civil counts. The lawsuit seeks damages for the harm caused by their alleged actions.