Senior figures at the New York Police Department (NYPD) are conducting secret meetings in parking lots, fearful that federal agents bug their offices. High-ranking officials were spotted together in the lot outside One Police Plaza, and one source reportedly told journalists that the “feds” can “get to anybody, anytime, anywhere.”
The reported parking lot meetings took place days after federal agents seized cell phones from New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban and several other officials. Senior aides to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Sheena Wright, and Phil Banks also saw their homes raided as part of the FBI probe into various instances of alleged corruption at New York’s City Hall.
The probes are reportedly connected to insider kickbacks, though agents have remained tight-lipped about the details. Mayor Adams subsequently told reporters that he remains confident in his aides, adding, “I’m not aware of any wrongdoing or misgivings from anyone on my team.”
Federal officials are also probing Mr. Adams’ fundraising efforts and whether he conspired with a Brooklyn construction company to funnel foreign funds into his campaign coffers in 2021. Foreign nationals are barred from donating, and investigators are trying to uncover evidence that Turkish New York residents acted as “straw contributors” on behalf of Turkey-based donors. The Mayor denied any wrongdoing and said he was “confident” he had complied with all rules and procedures. “I hold myself to a high standard,” he declared.
The FBI also raided the home of Mr. Adams’ chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs. She did not speak to the media, but Adams said he had complete confidence in her.
The latest investigation into high-ranking officials is reportedly connected to the city’s nightclub industry and suspicions that clubs received “special treatment” in exchange for cash. The Internal Revenue Service, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and the FBI are conducting a joint probe, but no individual has been arrested or charged to date. Mayor Adams continues to defend his officials and limited his remarks to the press, saying, “I have the utmost confidence in the New York City Police Department.”
