NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams pleaded not guilty Friday as he was arraigned on an indictment in Manhattan federal court charging him with bribery and wire fraud for allegedly soliciting campaign contributions from overseas donors following a wide-ranging federal probe into corruption at City Hall. Adams entered his plea as he stood before federal magistrate judge Katharine Parker. “I am not guilty, your honor,” Adams said.
Earlier in the day, Adams shot a thumbs up at a gathering crowd as he arrived at federal court with his attorney just before 9 a.m., but made no comment.
Adams has said he is innocent of all charges and rebuffed calls for his resignation. The charges stem from an ongoing investigation by the Manhattan U.S.
attorney’s office that has scrutinized allegations Turkey’s government funneled illegal donations into Adams’ 2021 campaign coffers. The indictment comes after revelations earlier this month that authorities are also looking into communications between Adams and the governments of five other foreign countries. Adams is the first New York City mayor in the modern era to face criminal charges while in office.
His administration has been reeling from additional federal corruption investigations and a series of high-profile resignations in recent weeks by top advisers to the mayor. He is facing the possibility of up to 45 years in prison if convicted of the charges. In the five-count indictment, federal investigators described a scheme that spanned .