Ingrid Lewis-Martin, former Chief Advisor to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, has been indicted on bribery charges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Thursday.
Prosecutors allege Lewis-Martin accepted bribes from two real estate investors to expedite construction permits for their businesses. The scheme reportedly involved $100,000 in checks given to Lewis-Martin’s son in August 2023, deposited into a shared bank account, and used to purchase a Porsche. To conceal the arrangement, Lewis-Martin allegedly directed the investors to use the encrypted messaging app Signal.
“This was a long-running bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy scheme,” Bragg stated, adding that Lewis-Martin leveraged her position of authority for personal gain. She resigned from her role last weekend.
Arthur Aidala, Lewis-Martin’s attorney, called the allegations absurd, emphasizing her long service to the city and expressing confidence she would be cleared at trial.
The case adds to mounting controversies surrounding Mayor Adams, who faces unrelated federal corruption charges. In September, Adams was indicted on five counts, accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel from Turkish nationals seeking influence. Adams has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to fight the charges.
The investigations highlight growing concerns over ethics and accountability in New York City’s government leadership.
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