Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
FBI seized electronic devices from New York City Mayor Eric Adams
By
Sophia Chang
and
Elizabeth Kim
Published Nov 10, 2023
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 .
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
By
Sophia Chang
and
Elizabeth Kim
Published Nov 10, 2023
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
The FBI seized electronic devices from Mayor Eric Adams earlier this week, according to his campaign, as scrutiny of Adams’ fundraising intensifies while a federal public corruption probe into donations to his campaign is underway.
FBI agents approached Adams on Monday night after an event and requested his electronic devices, said Adams’ campaign attorney Boyd Johnson in a written statement Friday. Evan Thies, a campaign spokesman, said the mayor had been served a search warrant.
To obtain a search warrant, investigators would have had to prove to a judge that there is probable cause to believe that the devices sought would reveal evidence that a crime had been committed.
Adams’ attorney did not specify where the mayor was Monday night but his schedule showed that he was slated to deliver remarks at NYU downtown for an event on autism.
“The Mayor immediately complied with the FBI’s request and provided them with electronic devices. The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to cooperate with the investigation,” Boyd said.
“As a former member of law enforcement, I expect all members of my staff to follow the law and fully cooperate with any sort of investigation—and I will continue to do exactly that. I have nothing to hide,” Adams said in a statement.
The New York Times, which first reported the seizure, said the FBI agents took at least two cellphones and an iPad from the mayor, and returned them to him within days.
A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment. Nicholas Biase, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, also declined to comment.
It’s unclear if the seizure of Adams’s devices is directly related to the Nov. 2 FBI raid at the home of Brianna Suggs, the mayor’s main campaign fundraiser. Boyd said Adams is cooperating with federal authorities.
“After learning of the federal investigation, it was discovered that an individual had recently acted improperly. In the spirit of transparency and cooperation, this behavior was immediately and proactively reported to investigators,” Johnson said in the statement. “The Mayor has been and remains committed to cooperating in this matter.”
It’s the first time Adams’ campaign has pointed to a single person involved with the campaign having been engaged in wrongdoing. Thies said he cannot comment on who the unnamed individual is because the investigation is ongoing.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Adams told reporters that he repeatedly instructed his campaign to follow the rules. “It is what I've stated all the time, I sleep well at night,” he said. “I am clear that we follow the rules.”
Adams did not mention that his devices had been seized.
Most of New York City’s political class is currently in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the annual Somos conference that draws elected officials and lobbyists.
Adams elected not to attend, saying he did not want taxpayers to foot the bill on the trip. “I don't think that it is appropriate for me to, you know, have on a flowery shirt lying on a beach drinking a margarita when I'm telling everyday New Yorkers that it's going to be a tough fiscal crisis,” he said.
This is a developing story.
Tagged
new york city
eric adams
Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
Read more
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
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
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 .