Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Manhattan DA seizes phones of Mayor Adams' top adviser, feds serve her a subpoena
By
Elizabeth Kim
,
Bahar Ostadan
,
Giulia Heyward
and
David Brand
Published Sep 27, 2024
Modified Sep 27, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Ed Reed / Mayoral Photography Office
By
Elizabeth Kim
,
Bahar Ostadan
,
Giulia Heyward
and
David Brand
Published Sep 27, 2024
Modified Sep 27, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Federal agents with the U.S. attorney's office of the Southern District of New York on Friday served Mayor Eric Adams’ chief adviser a subpoena, and the Manhattan district attorney's office took her phones, according to her attorney.
Officials searched the Brooklyn home of Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a longtime political consigliere to the mayor whose alliance with him goes back over four decades.
“She will cooperate fully with any and all investigations and Ms. Lewis is not the target of any case of which we are aware,” said attorney Arthur Aidala in a written statement to Gothamist.
Lewis-Martin had recently returned from a vacation in Japan and was expected to return to City Hall on Friday. Neither she nor the mayor's office immediately responded to requests for comment.
Aidala, her lawyer, hosts an online radio show and his star interview Friday night was Lewis-Martin who suggested in her appearance that the inquiries into the Adams administration were overblown.
“We're not thieves," she said. "I do believe that, in the end, the New York City public will see that we have not done anything illegal to the magnitude or scale that requires the federal government and the DA's office to investigate us."
She added: "I'm not angry with them. I respect them and I understand that they have to do their job."
Lewis-Martin and her attorney repeated professions of her innocence throughout the program and she said she had no involvement in Adams' campaign fundraising.
“If [the authorities] do their job with accuracy, they will see that I am not a target and I really don't have any information to provide based upon what we reviewed, because I really don't know what they're talking about,” said Lewis-Martin.
Aidala referred to the search as a “pain in the neck” for Lewis-Martin, adding, “I am confident that she's not going to be a target of any investigation."
In a five-count indictment unsealed on Thursday, Mayor Adams was accused of accepting bribes and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish officials. The charging document alleges that Adams received luxury hotel stays and flights to Turkey in exchange for political favors.
According to a copy of her daily calendar that Gothamist obtained through a Freedom of Information request, Lewis-Martin was scheduled to meet Reyhan Ozgur, the Turkish consul general at the time, for dinner at a building called the Turkish House on First Avenue on July 11, 2022.
Ozgur and the Turkish House figure prominently in the federal government’s case against Adams. Prosecutors accuse Adams of accepting travel perks in exchange for pressuring FDNY officials to ignore safety concerns and approve the building’s opening ahead of a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“You are Great Eric, we are so happy to hear that,” Ozgur texted Adams in response to his assistance, according to the indictment. “You are a true friend of Turkey."
Lewis-Martin was scheduled to meet with Rana Abbasova — Adams’ liaison to the Turkish community and, prosecutors say, a key conduit for illicit bribes in the corruption scheme — for dinner at a Brooklyn restaurant on April 5, 2023 and in her office on May 16, 2023.
The pair were also scheduled to meet with a high-ranking government official from Azerbaijan, a Turkish ally, on April 19, 2023.
The reason for the search is unclear, although there are at least four separate investigations into Adams and members of his inner circle. Adams appeared in court on Friday after he was charged with bribery and fraud this week.
Doug Cohen, a spokesperson for the Manhattan DA's office, declined to comment. The U.S. attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a call.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated which officials seized Lewis-Martin's phones.
This story has been updated to include additional details about Lewis-Martin's schedule and her appearance on her attorney's talk show.
Tagged
new york city
Adams investigations
Politics
eric adams
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Bahar Ostadan
Bahar Ostadan covers the NYPD and public safety. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or message Bahar on Signal at 646-740-7335.
Read more
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
Read more
David Brand
David is a reporter covering housing for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 908-310-3960.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC Rent Guidelines Board approves 2-year rent freeze, fulfilling Mamdani campaign pledge
About 1 million rent-stabilized apartments will be shielded from rent increases for the next two years after the historic vote.
By
David Brand
Published Jun 25, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Modified Jun 25, 2026 at 7:53 p.m. ET
NYC Pride defends allowing hospitals in march after calls for ban over trans youth care
Organizers say keeping healthcare systems involved creates opportunities to hold them accountable.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
NYC Pride defends allowing hospitals in march after calls for ban over trans youth care
Organizers say keeping healthcare systems involved creates opportunities to hold them accountable.
By
Giulia Heyward
'A betrayal of our values': NY reacts to Supreme Court ruling backing Trump immigration measure
By
Arya Sundaram
Mamdani allies protest his NYPD policies: 'Make true on your campaign promises'
By
Elizabeth Kim
Gov. Hochul halts disruption to childcare vouchers, says parents won’t lose coverage hours
By
Karen Yi
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .