ISTANBUL (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Thursday charged New York City Mayor Eric Adams with accepting illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel from Turkish nationals seeking to influence him, with prosecutors alleging the scheme stretched back to 2014.
Adams has longstanding ties with NATO member and regional power Turkey including a handful of visits to the country, ties to Turkish companies, organizations and prominent Turks, and numerous appearances at Turkish events in New York. VISITS AND AGREEMENTS: As Brooklyn borough president in 2015, Adams signed a "sisterhood" agreement between Brooklyn and Istanbul's Uskudar district that led to collaborations aimed at enhancing commercial exchange between the two cities. In a 2017 interview with a Turkish newspaper, he said he was on his fifth visit to the country and was looking to purchase a home there.
TURKISH AIRLINES: Adams attended several Turkish Airlines events since 2017, including the 2019 celebration in Brooklyn marking 25 years of direct flights between New York and Istanbul, according to the Elite Traveler website. Cenk Ocal, the airline's former New York general manager, was a key figure at these events, and Adams praised the airline publicly, stating it was "his way of flying," Turkey's pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper reported. After becoming mayor in 2022, Adams appointed Ocal to his transition team, further solidifying his close ties to Turkish figures.
TURKISH-AMERICAN COMMUNITY: The mayor regular.
