New York City Mayor Eric Adams pled not guilty to federal corruption charges on Friday in a packed Lower Manhattan courtroom. His attorney dismissed the indictment as "not a real case," vowing to file a motion to dismiss.

Eric Adams Pleads Not Guilty : Charges Against Adams

Adams formally denied the charges, which include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, bribery, and two counts of soliciting donations from foreign nationals. The indictment, unsealed the day prior, alleges Adams solicited and accepted bribes from Turkish businesspeople, including luxury travel perks, in exchange for political favors. Prosecutors also claim Adams illegally took foreign donations for his mayoral campaigns, covering up the transactions with "straw donors," falsified records, and deleted incriminating messages.

Courtroom Proceedings

U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker presided over the hearing, addressing the mayor as "Mayor Adams" and asking how he wished to plead. Adams responded, "I am not guilty, Your Honor."

Seated beside his attorney, Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, Adams remained stoic, avoiding eye contact with the press. The courtroom was filled with media, clerks, and prosecutors, while Adams’ security team sat nearby.

Judge Parker agreed to release Adams on his own signature but warned him against speaking with witnesses identified by prosecutors. She also cautioned that any attempt to intimidate jurors or interfere with investigations could result in additional charges.

Interestingly, Adams was not required to surrender his passport, a condition imposed on others facing similar charges, such as former Sen. Robert Menendez. However, he was granted "reasonable accommodations" to communicate with staff and family on personal or business matters, per prosecutor Celia V. Cohen.

Eric Adams Pleads Not Guilty : Next Steps in the Case

Adams’ next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho. Outside the courthouse, Spiro criticized the charges, referring to them as "the airline upgrade corruption case," and emphasized that there is no corroborating evidence—such as emails or texts—proving Adams’ knowledge of the campaign donation scheme.

Spiro announced plans to file a motion to dismiss the case, citing a lack of evidence. "This case isn’t even a real case," Spiro told reporters.

Legal Teams

The prosecution team includes Hagan Scotten, Celia V. Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach, and Derek Wikstrom from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Adams is represented by Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP.