Mayor Eric Adams updated the press on the City’s ongoing projects during his weekly briefing at City Hall.
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A former New York City official who until Monday worked in the Adams administration has been arrested and charged with witness tampering and obstruction of justice, according to federal prosecutors.
In a new complaint U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New YorkProsecutors accused Mohamed Bahi, 40, of organizing fundraisers for Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign and accepting straw donations. Prosecutors said that when FBI agents arrived at Bashi’s home with a search warrant in July 2024, Bashi deleted the encrypted messaging app Signal from his phone, thereby hampering the federal investigation into the donations.
Bashi is also accused of ordering a “third party” to lie to federal agents, and to do so after meeting with Adams’ “OFFICIAL-1,” according to the complaint.
“As alleged, Mohamed Baie obstructed a federal criminal investigation by instructing witnesses to lie and then destroying evidence,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “The charges unsealed today should drive home the clarity “Our commitment to uncovering the truth and following the facts is unwavering.”
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Basch’s criminal complaint alleges that he organized a fundraiser at a Brooklyn construction company’s headquarters in December 2020, and that Basch advised the company’s owner to have his employees donate to Adams’ campaign and then refund the workers $2,000. dollars — slightly less than the maximum allowed by any individual donor in the city.
Four employees and the owner donated money to the event, and the workers’ payments were reimbursed by the company, the complaint said. All subsequently spoke with law enforcement, and the owners admitted their involvement in the illegal straw donation, according to prosecutors.
In his own indictment, Adams is also accused of knowingly accepting illegal contributions from straw donors—in his case, Adams conspired to receive campaign contributions from Turkish nationals and conceal those payments through U.S. citizens. Prosecutors said this allowed Adams to free up public funds to provide an eight-to-one match for small donations.
Prosecutors said Bashi was charged with witness tampering and destroying records, each count punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He is the first person other than Adams to be charged in the investigation.
Bashi Resigned on Monday On Monday, he no longer serves as senior liaison to the Department of Community Affairs. No reason for his departure was given, but in a statement at the time, a City Hall spokesman issued a statement thanking Bashi for his service. Online court records did not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Adams, a Democrat, faces conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery charges of the five charges outlines a decade-long trajectory of corruption that began when he was an elected official in Brooklyn and continued through his tenure as mayor. The mayor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and vowed to stay in office.
“I will fight these injustices with all my might,” he said when he was indicted. He called the charges against him “based on lies” and said he was a target.
Basch is expected to appear before a Manhattan federal judge on Tuesday.
During last week’s hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten said prosecutors were “Multiple relevant investigations” are ongoing And it’s “possible” that more defendants will be charged, and it’s “possible” that more charges will be brought against Adams.
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