2023-11-18 18:01:55
NEW YORK. In the USA, New York Mayor Eric Adams’ ties to Turkey and allegations of bribery remain on the agenda. According to the news of EURONEWS, according to the news of The City, New York Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 election campaign is founded by Bilal Erdoğan, the son of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Erdoğan’s daughter Esra Albayrak is among the board members. He accepted donations from three members of a foundation he was affiliated with.
In the United States, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents seized the phones and an iPad of New York Mayor Eric Adams as part of the “Turkey investigation”. The seizure occurred as Eric Adams was leaving a public event in Manhattan, according to the president’s attorney, Boyd Johnson.
“On Monday night, the FBI reached out to the mayor after an event,” Johnson said in a statement. The President immediately complied with the request and delivered their electronic devices to them. “The President has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to cooperate with the FBI regarding the investigation.”
It was revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was investigating whether Mayor Adams, known for his close relations with Turkey, received illegal donations from Turkey during his election campaign. The New York Times reported that Adams searched the home of Brianna Suggs, a donation manager for his election campaign, and that Suggs was questioned within the scope of the public corruption investigation.
It was stated that the transaction in question was carried out by court order and was carried out within the scope of an investigation into political fundraising during the 2021 election campaign.
According to the AP report, the prosecutors conducting the investigation did not make any statement to the public.
But authorities are examining whether the Adams campaign colluded with the Turkish government to receive donations from foreign sources, according to a search warrant obtained by The New York Times.
In this context, whether New York Mayor Eric Adams received money from Turkish-owned companies operating in the USA is under scrutiny.
According to The City, Eric Adams’ 2021 election campaign accepted donations from three members of a foundation founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son Bilal Erdoğan, whose board members include Erdoğan’s daughter Esra Albayrak.
Campaign records show that Adams’ campaign received a total of six thousand dollars between 2018 and 2021 from three US citizens who are board members of the “Turken Foundation”, which registered as a foreign agent with the Department of Justice last year.
According to records, Adams’ campaign refunded $1,000 to one of the men because he exceeded the $2,100 limit.
It is stated that the mission of the Erdoğan-linked foundation is “to help accommodate Muslim students in the USA” and “to promote intercultural relations”.
Additionally, according to The City, Adams’ mayoral campaign also received $12,600 in donations from two board members of the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) in July 2018.
But Adams’ campaign refunded more than $8,000 of that amount due to donation limit rules.
Meanwhile, it was noted that the FBI handed over some of Adams’ electronic devices.
On the other hand, local officials stated that FBI agents searched the home of Brianna Suggs, who collected donations for Eric Adams’ election campaign, on November 2, and that Suggs was questioned by public corruption investigators.
According to public records, the 2025 election campaign has paid approximately $98,000 so far to Suggs’ consulting firm „Suggs Solutions“.
Likewise, according to Reuters, law enforcement officials have investigated several other people in President Adams’ inner circle in recent months.
In July, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced indictments against six people who Adams said used a “straw donor scheme” to illegally raise public matching funds for the 2021 election campaign. All six suspects pleaded not guilty.
„Straw donation“ is used in the USA for a scheme that shows donations made on behalf of a person or persons who do not actually give money.
Adams, who was not charged with any charges in the indictments, said he and his campaign team had no knowledge or involvement in the alleged plan.
Another Turkish company mentioned in the investigation is KSK construction company. The FBI is investigating Turkish-American construction company KSK as part of an investigation into allegations of straw donations and illegal foreign influence in the 2021 mayoral race, the New York Times reported.
According to reports, Mayor Adams, whose personal phones and tablet were also confiscated, is being investigated whether he cooperated with a construction company in Brooklyn and the Turkish government during the 2021 election campaign. The indictment alleges that Adams’ campaign may have provided benefits to the construction company and Turkish officials in exchange for money.
While Adams, who visited Turkey many times, denied the accusations against him, new developments regarding the investigation were featured in the US press.
Cenk Öcal became THY’s New York General Manager in 2015.
‘CONFIDENTIAL AGREEMENT WITH THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT’ ALLEGATION
According to the latest news in the New York Times, the FBI carried out new raids as part of the investigation into Adams’ election campaign. It was reported that among the people whose house was raided were Adams’ deputy in the international relations office, Rana Abbasova, as well as the former manager of Turkish Airlines, Cenk Öcal.
Turkish Airlines’ New York General Manager Cenk Öcal was dismissed last year. According to the US press, Öcal was also a member of Adams’ transition team.
According to the New York Times, which points out that both names are associated with Turkey, the FBI and federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether the Turkish government colluded with Adams’ campaign to transfer foreign donations to the campaign.
New Yprk Mayor Adams attended the 100th anniversary event of the Republic of Turkey in New York with Rana Abbasova in recent weeks. In his speech at the event, Adams said, “I am probably the only mayor in the history of this city who has not visited Turkey just once.”
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Turkey Probe: Eric Adams Campaign Took Money from Leaders of Erdogan-Backed Foundation
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