Eric Adams, former NYPD captain, becomes first NYC mayor indicted in office after being ensnared in federal corruption investigation

Eric Adams has painted himself as a victim of persecution after being indicted – saying he was singled out by the Biden administration for his stance on the migrant crisis.

Adams, 64, became the first New York City mayor to be charged criminally while still in office on Wednesday – and afterwards issued a prerecorded response.

In a two-minute clip filmed from Gracie Mansion, the Democratic mayor said he ‘always knew’ he would become a target because of his views, and also refused to leave office.

He reminded onlookers the he has beseeched Joe Biden for federal help, and claimed ‘the investigation’ surrounding him started as a result.

Adams was indicted earlier in the day, following a number of federal corruption probes into campaign finances and alleged kickback schemes among top brass.

The indictment stayed sealed Wednesday night – and its contents remain unknown.

Eric Adams has painted himself as a victim of persecution after being indicted – saying he was singled out by the Biden administration for his stance on the migrant crisis

In a two-minute clip filmed from Gracie Mansion, the politician said he ‘always knew’ he would become a target because of his views, before reminding onlookers the he has beseeched Joe Biden for federal help. He claimed the investigations into him were started in response

 Adams filmed the defiant statement while holed up in the hallowed Upper East Side residence reserved for the mayor.

‘It is now my belief that the federal government is attempting charge me with crimes,’ the mayor said.

‘If so, these charges will be entirely false, based on lies,’ he continued, before laying blame elsewhere.

‘But they will not be surprising.

‘I always knew that if I stood my ground for all of you, that I would be a target,’ he said, nearly a year after feds seized the mayor’s phones and iPad after the first of now many raids.

‘For months, leaks, rumors, have been aimed at me in an attempt to undermine my credibility and paint me as guilty,’ he went on.

‘Just this past week, they searched the home of our new police commissioner, looking for documents from 20 years ago.

‘Enough,’ Adams went on to say, citing how the raid came just a week after new commissioner Thomas G. Donlon suddenly replaced predecessor Edward Caban, who was handpicked by Adams to replace outgoing Keechant Sewell.

‘I will fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit,’ Adams declared.

‘If I’m charged, I know I am innocent.

He reminded onlookers the he has beseeched Joe Biden for federal help, and claimed ‘the investigation’ surrounding him started as a result

‘I will request an immediate trial so that New Yorkers can hear the truth.’

The political newcomer proceeded to point his law enforcement background, which he leaned on intensely three years ago during a successful campaign that touted him as tough-on-crime.

‘New Yorkers know my story and know where I come from,’ the former police captain said. ‘I have been fighting injustices my entire life. That fight has continued as your mayor.

Turning back to the migrant situation that has seen 217,300 foreigners funneled into the city, he proclaimed: ‘Despite our pleas, the federal government did nothing as it’s broken immigration policies [and] overloaded our shelter system.

‘I put the people of New York before party and politics,’ the mayor pressed on – before a lengthy pause.

He went on to concede how in coming days, he will likely face calls to resign – cried he promised to ignore as he continues to ‘do [his] job.’

‘But I have been facing these lies for months, since I began to speak out for all of you – and there investigation started,’ he continued, crying conspiracy

 ‘Yet, the city has continued to improve.’

A less somber Adams is seen outside Gracie Mansion flashing a thumbs up sign to a reporter just before news of the indictment broke. He was there Wednesday night as well

He then offered a final sign-off, as the existence of the indictment – first reported by the New York Times – was confirmed.

‘You elected me to lead this city, and lead it I will,’ he said, as the potentially damning document remained sealed.

‘I humbly ask for your prayers and patience as we see this through. God bless you, and God bless the city of New York. Thank you.’

The Times was the first to report on the indictment, as feds declined to comment due to the ongoing investigations.

The mayor’s claims that the probes into him and his staffers were payback come as he has recently claimed the city’s ‘sanctuary’ status has hindered his ability to handle the crisis – begging for help from Biden and the federal government in response.

Those calls, for the most part, have gone unanswered, as Adams faces a prospective $12billion cost if the crisis continues, experts have said.

At the Democratic National Convention last month, Adams did not receive a speaking role and was absent from a star-studded roll call that included Spike Lee.

However, Adams initially welcomed the concept of New York being a sanctuary city – with the then campaigning mayor, just days before he was elected, celebrating the then new arrivals as ‘keeping our city running’ during the pandemic.

‘The days I spent with our essential employees, a substantial number of them were undocumented,’ he added at the time, before changing his tune a little over a year later.

‘They were delivering out Uber Eats, they were stocking our stores, they were out in the streets keeping our city running.’

Adams initially welcomed the concept of New York being a sanctuary city – with the then campaigning mayor, just days before he was elected, celebrating the then new arrivals as ‘keeping our city running’ during the pandemic

As the border crisis worsened, Adams abruptly changed his tune, asking for federal help In July 2022. The next month, said the city had a ‘moral and legal obligation to house anyone who is experiencing homelessness.’

By the start of 2023, he shifted gears completely, having civic staffers hand out yellow fliers to immigrants that disclaimed was ‘no guarantee’ they would receive shelter or services if they went to New York.

‘Housing in NYC is very expensive,’ the fliers said. ‘Please consider another city as you make your decision about where to settle in the US.’

But migrants remained undeterred, arriving in droves on  a daily basis.

Meanwhile, some of the mayor’s major allies began to targeted in raids by federal authorities – separate from the renewed set of raids seen this month.

On September 4, agents stormed the homes of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, in a series of new raids that for now remain under wraps.

Both reportedly had their electronic devices taken, as was the case with Adams back in November when he had his phone snatched following a raid of the home of his campaign treasurer, Brianna Suggs.

Both reportedly had their electronic devices taken, as was the case with Adams back in November, when he had his phone snatched following a raid of the home of his campaign treasurer, Brianna Suggs

Earlier this month, agents stormed the homes of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, in a series of raids that for now remain under wraps

That operation, feds said, was part of a probe into the mayor’s campaign finances.

While not yet concluded, the investigation seemingly resulted in the former chief fundraiser for Adams’ 2021 campaign being placed into a new position – one focused on filing paperwork.

The mayor spoke about the reassignment in interview in December, insisting she was no longer raising money for him without sharing specifics.

‘She’s going to do — there’s so much administrative paperwork, documentation,’ the mayor told PIX11 in the sit-down.

‘All of that documentation, she knows it well and she’s going to be part of that processing,’ he added.

More federal investigations and resignations have ensued since, spurring Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to demand Adams to resign on Wednesday, prior to the Times report.

‘The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening government function,’ Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. ‘Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration.’

The resumed raids that started earlier this month came in tandem with the sudden resignation of Police Commissioner Caban, who had been tapped to head the New York Police Department just months before, and also had his home raided.

Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned on September 13, as the nature of feds’ renewed investigation remains unknown. Caban was personally picked to head the New York Police Department in 2023

The flurry of raids and resignations involving the mayor’s allies caused Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to call on Adams to resign Wednesday, before the Times report was released

Other recent exits include those of two ex-FDNY chiefs accused of bribery, corruption and false statements Brian Cordasco, 49, and Anthony Saccavino, 59, whose own homes were raided in February.

The searches surrounded claims of ‘corrupt building safety inspections,’ sources told DailyMail.com – adding the two had received over $190,000 in bribes in exchange for giving ‘special treatment’ to certain property owners and developers.

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York would confirm those charges on September 16, in a statement issued by  FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy.

‘The FDNY officials charged today allegedly took bribes to expedite the inspection process, undermining the fairness and integrity that are fundamental to our system,’ he said during the filmed presser.

‘By doing so, they not only compromised public safety but also eroded the public’s trust in those who are sworn to protect us.’

That indictment has been unsealed, and alleged that from 2021 to 2023, the two chiefs abused their power to make tens of thousands of dollars, and at one point claims that ‘for nearly two years, Saccavino and Cordasco misused their authority as Chiefs for their private financial gain.’

Meanwhile, New Yorkers faced abnormally long wait times to get their buildings inspected due to back-up from the pandemic.

The FDNY were the ones to tip off the the DOI about the alleged scheme, claiming groups had been paying out the corrupt chief after Adams was elected.

Anthony Saccavino, 59, is facing charges of bribery, corruption and false statements for a building inspection scheme

Sources told Pix11 the raid on Caban stemmed from a separate probe to the investigation into Adams’ campaign financing (the exterior of the home where NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban lives is seen here)

Meanwhile, federal agents also confiscated the cell phone of NYPD chief Raul Pintos and two precinct commanders in Queens and Manhattan – the same day Caban’s own phone was seized in another raid.

Caban went on to resign days later, after Adams appeared to distance himself from the top cop in a statement.

‘I chose him for his experience and what he brought after 30-something years of service,’ he said at the time.

‘Rumors are always out there,’ he added. ‘There was nothing that came from me that fed those rumors.’

‘I don’t think anything in life is guaranteed.’

Sources told Pix11 the raid on Caban stemmed from a probe from the investigation into Adams’ campaign financing, as another top Adams’ aide, Timothy Pearson, also had his phones subpoenaed.

As for Adams, sources told the paper he is set to surrender to authorities early next week, as the proverbial walls appear to be closing in around him.

The retired police captain had previously campaigned on being tough-on-crime, doing so successfully to become the city’s 110th mayor. When the charges are made public, he will be the first to be charged criminally while still in office

It remains unknown how the indictment is related to a sweeping set of raids seen this month, after feds had already probing potential illegal campaign contributions to Adams’ 2021 campaign from individuals linked with the Turkish government.

Other reports, including one aired by the Times Monday, indicated feds are also looking into the mayor’s ties with five other countries as well – Israel, China, Qatar, South Korea and Uzbekistan.

For that investigation, feds are looking into whether Adams conspired with the Turkish government to funnel illegal foreign funds into his campaign, and set out a set expansive grand jury subpoenas in July.

The new subpoenas came eight months after the initial corruption investigation surfaced, with the mayor struggling with approval ratings ever since.

He also faces at least three challengers in the 2025 Democratic primary, if he plans to seek reelection.