Deputy U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove has instructed federal prosecutors in New York to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, as confirmed by a high-ranking official from the Justice Department on Monday evening. The directive mandates the dismissal of all charges against Adams without prejudice, indicating that charges could potentially be refiled in the future. While the charges have not yet been formally dropped, there has been no immediate response from federal prosecutors in New York when reached for comment. Any formal dismissal would need to be initiated through a motion by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, where the original charges were lodged. Furthermore, any such motion to dismiss would also necessitate judicial review.
Eric Adams, a former captain in the New York Police Department who assumed office as mayor in 2021, had been indicted in September on charges including bribery, fraud, and other offenses. The indictment alleged that Adams engaged in a nearly decade-long corruption scheme by accepting approximately $100,000 worth of complimentary plane tickets and luxury accommodations from affluent Turkish individuals and possibly a government official. Adams has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to the charges and attributing them to political motives. He has expressed his determination to contest the allegations.
The Justice Department official indicated on Monday that a reevaluation of the charges would be undertaken following the confirmation of a U.S. attorney appointed during the previous administration. Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York who initiated the charges against Adams, resigned from his position after the election of President Trump in 2024. In late January, an attorney representing Adams conveyed to Justice Department leadership the desire for the criminal case against the mayor to be dropped, as reported by NBC News.
