NEW YORK — In a recent court document, prosecutors disclosed that a former aide to Mayor Eric Adams of New York City intends to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge connected to a corruption investigation into the mayor.
Mohamed Bahi, who previously held the role of the chief liaison to the Muslim community at City Hall, was taken into custody in October during a broad inquiry related to Adams and his campaign fundraising efforts. This scrutiny ultimately led to the mayor being indicted on corruption charges in September.
Mayor Adams has firmly maintained his innocence, entering a not guilty plea regarding accusations that he received bribes in the form of complimentary and discounted vacation trips abroad and illegal contributions to his campaign from foreign entities, including a diplomat from Turkey.
In the latest development, federal prosecutors informed a judge that Bahi is preparing to plead guilty to conspiracy involving allegations that he gathered campaign contributions under false pretenses, specifically using the names of individuals who were not the actual contributors. Efforts to reach out to Bahi’s attorney for commentary were made but went unanswered.
Bahi is identified in the indictment against Adams as “Adams Employee—1,” but there has been no immediate announcement regarding when the plea hearing will occur.
This situation arises following Adams’ recent alignment with former President Donald Trump, who has publicly criticized the investigation into Adams and mentioned he might consider granting a pardon to the mayor, who had previously registered as a Republican in the 1990s.
Furthermore, the news of Bahi’s intended plea comes shortly after Brooklyn’s real estate figure, Erden Arkan, confessed to conspiracy, admitting his collaboration with a Turkish government official to improperly channel campaign contributions to Adams.
“When I wrote the checks, I understood that the Eric Adams campaign would utilize these funds to seek public matching support,” Arkan stated during his hearing.
The charges against Adams allege that he misused illegal contributions to deceitfully gain access to public funds under the city’s matching funds initiative, which significantly boosts small donations.
Adams has expressed his determination to continue serving in his position, pledging to fight the allegations “with every ounce of my strength and my spirit.”
Currently, a trial for Mayor Adams is scheduled to commence on April 21, whereas Arkan’s sentencing is anticipated to occur in August.
