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New York City Mayor Eric Adams has officially had his corruption case dismissed with prejudice by a federal judge.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, Mayor Eric Adams was originally indicted on five serious federal charges including bribery, wire fraud conspiracy, and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals—specifically tied to a long-running scheme involving Turkish officials and wealthy foreign donors. Prosecutors alleged that Adams began accepting illegal benefits as early as 2014, including benefits that included luxury travel upgrades, meals, and other perks, in exchange for political favors such as helping the Turkish government open a consulate building that had failed fire inspections. Despite Manhattan prosecutors continuing to uncover alleged criminal conduct into 2025, the Trump-aligned DOJ ordered the case dropped. Adams, for his part, strongly suggested that the charges were retaliation for his public criticism of President Biden’s immigration policies—remarks that earned him newfound acceptance with President Trump.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, US District Judge Dale Ho dismissed the federal corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be refiled. While Ho acknowledged that courts have limited authority to force the government to pursue a case it wishes to abandon, he criticized the Department of Justice’s rationale for doing so. “Everything here smacks of a bargain. Dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions,” Ho wrote in his opinion, calling the DOJ’s justification “disturbing.”
He warned that the government’s approach “creates the unavoidable perception that the Mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration, and that he might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents.”
Ho also rejected the DOJ’s request to dismiss the case without prejudice, which would have left the door open for future prosecution. He said, “Dismissing the case without prejudice would create the unavoidable perception that the mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration, and that he might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents.”
Mayor reacts: In a statement, Mayor Adams said, “Today finally marks the end of this chapter. As you have heard, the judge has dismissed the case against me with prejudice, making it clear that it never can be brought back. Let me be clear: As I’ve said all along, this case should have never been brought because I did nothing wrong. I want to thank the New Yorkers who stood by my side, who prayed for me, who supported me, and stuck with me while we focused on the work at hand. I’m now happy that our city can finally close the book on this and focus solely on the future of our great city.”
