Mayor Eric Adams responded Thursday to bribery and money laundering charges against his former chief adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, criticizing the indictment for lacking detailed evidence to substantiate the claims. Manhattan prosecutors allege Lewis-Martin used her City Hall position to help two real estate developers secure approvals for hotel projects in exchange for $100,000 in bribes.
Allegations Against Lewis-Martin
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced that Lewis-Martin and her son, Glenn Martin II, face charges of bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy. Developers Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi are charged with bribery and conspiracy for their roles in the alleged scheme.
Prosecutors claim Lewis-Martin facilitated the approval of construction applications filed with the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB), allegedly acting as an “on-call consultant” for Vaid and Dwivedi without regard for safety regulations.
Bragg characterized the case as “corruption at the highest level of city government,” summarizing it as a “quid pro quo” operation.
Mayor Adams Pushes Back
While Bragg emphasized that Adams is not implicated in the charges, the mayor expressed concerns over the prosecution’s framing of events, particularly its lack of detailed evidence linking Lewis-Martin’s actions directly to the alleged bribes.
