Ex-Aide to Eric Adams Discussing Possible Plea Deal With Prosecutors
One of New York City Mayor Eric Adams's former aides is discussing a possible plea deal with prosecutors following his arrest last month.
Mohamed Bahi, former chief liaison between City Hall and the Muslim community, was arrested last month in connection with a broad investigation into Adams and his campaign fundraising practices. The probe led to Adams being indicted on corruption charges in September.
Possible Plea Deal
In a court filing released this week, prosecutors indicated they were in talks with Bahi's attorney "regarding a possible disposition of this case." The filing did not specify the details of those discussions or whether any agreement would involve Bahi's cooperation with federal investigators.
The Associated Press' requests for comment from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan went unanswered. Derek Adams, Bahi's attorney, also did not respond to inquiries from the AP.
Adams Indictment
Adams pleaded not guilty to allegations that he accepted bribes, including free and discounted international trips and unlawful campaign contributions from foreign nationals, among them a Turkish diplomat.
Two weeks later, Bahi, 40, was charged in a separate fundraising scheme. Prosecutors allege he urged a Brooklyn construction company owner to reimburse four employees for their $2,000 donations to Adams, enabling the campaign to fraudulently secure public matching funds.
The indictment states that after FBI agents reached out to the construction company owner this summer, Bahi allegedly advised him to lie to investigators, assuring him that Adams believed he would remain silent. When agents arrived at Bahi's home in July to conduct a search, they reported that he deleted an encrypted messaging app from his cellphone that he had used to communicate with Adams.
Adams, a Democrat, denied ever instructing a city employee to lie and has pledged to remain in office while contesting the charges against him. However, the investigation has sent shockwaves through City Hall in recent months, leading to the resignations of the police commissioner, the schools chancellor and several of Adams' top advisers.
On Friday, Tracey Collins, Adams' longtime girlfriend, retired from her position as a senior advisor in the Department of Education. Prosecutors allege Collins joined Adams on several overseas trips that were either complimentary or significantly discounted by a Turkish official aiming to leverage Adams' influence.
At a hearing last month, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten revealed that prosecutors are conducting "several related investigations" and indicated it is "likely" that additional defendants will face charges, with the "possibility" of further charges against Adams.
This includes reporting from The Associated Press.
