New York City Mayor Eric Adams accepted numerous lavish travel gifts from the Turkish government, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
In June 2021, shortly before he was elected the Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams wanted to take a trip to Turkey — the country that federal prosecutors say covertly sponsored his political career for years.
One of his staffers contacted a Turkish Airlines manager, who had arranged free or heavily discounted flights for Adams before, according to the freshly unsealed indictment against the mayor.
«It is very expensive because it is last minute», the airline manager texted the Adams staffer, according to the indictment. «I am working on a discount»
«I am going to charge $50», the manager followed up later.
The Adams staffer pushed the manager to charge a more realistic-sounding price, prosecutors say.
«No, dear. $50? What?» the staffer said, according to the indictment. «Quote a proper price.»
«How much should I charge? :)» the airline manager responded.
The Adams staffer asked for «$1,000 or so», noting that Adams’ «every step is being watched right now.»
«Let it be somewhat real», the staffer said. «We don’t want them to say he is flying for free.»
Adams ended up paying $1,100 for roundtrip economy tickets to Istanbul for him and his partner, according to the indictment.
According to the filing, they were «immediately upgraded to business class at no cost.
