Federal investigators said they still can’t get in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ cellphone, nearly a year after they took it. According to charging documents, Adams claimed in November 2023 that he changed his password after he found out about the corruption investigation.
He said he wanted to stop his staff from deleting anything from the phone. Adams then told investigators he forgot the password he set two days prior.
At Adams’ federal court hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 2, Prosecutor Hagan Scotten said the fact that the government still can’t get into Adams phone is “a significant wild card” in the case.
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Adams is facing five federal counts of bribery, corruption, wire fraud, and soliciting and accepting donations from foreign nationals.
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and said he did nothing wrong.
Meanwhile, public advocate, Jumaane Williams, the person who is next in line to become mayor if Adams resigns or is forced out by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, reportedly accepted political contributions from Uzbek businessman, Tolib Mansurov.
Mansurov is the same man accused of orchestrating illegal donations to Adams.
City campaign records show Williams received $5,000 in January from Mansurov. The contributions appear to have similarities to the straw donations allegedly made to Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign.
Mansurov also donated $10,000 to Williams’ 2022 campaign for governor.
A spokesperson for Williams told the Wall Street Journal that Williams met Mansurov as part of his engagement with the Uzbek community and had no reason to believe there was anything wrong with the contributions.
The spokesperson went on to say they would closely review the donations.
