New York City sheriff under investigation as Adams' inner circle faces federal probes

NEW YORK — The New York City Department of Investigation is probing the city Sheriff's Office and the man who leads it, Anthony Miranda, as investigations into Mayor Eric Adams' inner circle expand, according to five people with knowledge of the situation.

The exact focus of the investigation is not entirely clear, but it comes as federal prosecutors probe the mayor, his 2021 campaign's potential ties to Turkey and members of his inner circle . Miranda and Adams are longtime allies, dating back to their days serving in the NYPD .

In addition to DOI — a city agency with subpoena power responsible for rooting out municipal corruption — the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York was looking into Miranda as recently as last year, according to a Department of Finance employee with direct knowledge of the situation. (The sheriff's office is overseen by the Department of Finance.)

That person — who along with the others was granted anonymity to speak freely about a sensitive legal matter — said prosecutors were looking into allegations of "public corruption" but would not elaborate. He said he is also aware of other city employees who were questioned by federal investigators about Miranda last year.

The sheriff is responsible for property seizure, enforcing cigarette licensing rules and has the ability to penalize and shut down unlicensed cannabis shops. News of his legal situation comes as Adams contends with a cascade of bad news regarding his closest aides. Federal prosecutors have been raiding homes and seizing electronics devices in a sprawling probe, which is percolating nine months before Adams is up for reelection.

Spokespeople from the Eastern District and the DOI — whose commissioner is appointed by the mayor with legislative approval — declined to comment on these investigations.

Reached by phone, Miranda declined to answer questions and referred POLITICO to the sheriff's press office. The spokesperson did not respond to a list of emailed questions and, when reached by phone, simply said "no comment."

A spokesperson for City Hall did not answer any questions regarding either investigation.

Miranda's past is checkered with controversy.

Adams appointed him to lead the sheriff's office in May 2022, one year after Miranda lent his own unsuccessful City Council campaign $11,000 and reimbursed himself with $1,320 in interest. Through a mayoral spokesperson, Miranda said at the time that he would work to ensure his prior campaign complies with election laws.

In 2023, he backed an ex-sergeant's efforts to secure a gun permit — even after the former employee was fired for calling in sick while moonlighting as a strip club bouncer .

"I signed off on it," Miranda told the Daily News at the time. "Then I move on."

In June 2024, the New York City Deputy Sheriff's Association, the union that represents workers in the agency, called on Miranda to resign for allegedly creating a hostile work environment. He did not respond at the time to a Daily News reporter's phone call about the allegations.

The head of the union, Ingrid Simonovic, testified Tuesday at a City Council hearing on cannabis enforcement that multiple complaints had been made to DOI regarding Miranda's conduct and his handling of the office's enforcement efforts.

"Sheriff Anthony Miranda has spent the past two years establishing a consistent pattern of retaliation against his own workforce — punishing, threatening and disciplining us and those who dare to challenge his occasionally questionable orders and ways of doing things," Simonovic told the council.

Nadia Kahnauth, a lawyer who represents several cannabis store owners, testified at that hearing that an NYPD official told her the Sheriff's Office is responsible for the seized cash. She later provided POLITICO with security camera footage of law enforcement officers removing cash from registers in four separate raids. It is unclear from the footage whether they are NYPD or sheriff's officers.

"All of the property is being invoiced by the NYPD, except cash. ... There is absolutely no method to locate the money and we are being directed that it is the sheriff who has the money," Kahnauth said. "So then I have to open two different claims with internal affairs and the sheriff's department. Each agency ... [says] the other one took it, or the other one vouchered it, or the other one's responsible for it."

A spokesperson for the mayor told POLITICO that "through 'Operation Padlock to Protect,' we have already shut down more than 1,100 illegal shops and seized an estimated $66 million in illegal products. We continue to act in accordance with the law to protect public safety."

In a letter to the council sent a day before its Tuesday hearing, Miranda wrote that "the Office of the Sheriff does not seize cash from any of the locations. NYPD seizes cash for safekeeping and investigative review when necessary."

Adams, who also comes from a law enforcement background, has remained close to Miranda.

In 2021, when Miranda was running for Queens borough president, the National Latino Officers Association endorsed Adams' mayoral run , saying in an Instagram post, "'Its not just about hearing the #people. Its #listening to be their #VOICE .' A Characteristic that both and share before politics."

According to Miranda's Linkedin page , he is the "owner" of the National Latino Officers Association and according to the associations website, he has served on its board.

In October 2023, the NLOA threw its "Never Forget" Gala in Great Neck, NY, advertising Adams as the keynote speaker and featuring a "top shelf open bar" with cigars. Tickets to the event went for $150 in advance or $300 at the door, and Miranda received an award for "Excellence in Innovation" there.

During his time in City Hall, Adams has demonstrated a penchant for sticking with aides amid controversy .

Since last November, federal agents have raided the homes or seized the phones of at least nine people who are close to Adams — including members of his innermost circle, like his 2021 fundraiser and two of his deputy mayors . The mayor's electronics were also seized on a Manhattan street last year .

Neither he nor anyone else has been accused of wrongdoing.