How is Mayor Adams connected to the latest federal indictment?

NEW YORK (PIX11) — In charging Mohamed Bahi with witness tampering and destroying records, federal authorities have shed light on the separate case against Mayor Eric Adams.

The indictment references the mayor, saying Adams, through Bahi, said he did not expect businessmen accused of making illegal straw donations to his campaign, to cooperate with federal authorities.

It also says the Mayor used an encrypted app to communicate with aides and donors. Finally, buried in a footnote of the indictment, one of the businessmen implicated in the straw donor case against the mayor, appears to have flipped on the mayor.

Bahi was a campaign aide to Adams while he ran for mayor and later worked in City Hall as a Senior Liaison in the Community Affairs Unit of New York City.  He resigned Monday.

The Mayor is referred to as “Official-1” in the federal indictment against Bahi.

Below are quotes from Bahi’s federal indictment that most directly reference mayor Adams:

Mayor expects donor not to cooperate with the feds:

“On or about June 14, 2024, BAHI again met with the Businessman. During that meeting, BAHI indicated to the Businessman, in substance and in part, that BAHI had met with Official-1, and that Official-1 believed that the Businessman would not cooperate with law enforcement.”

Mayor used an encrypted app:

“I know that Official-1 used Signal to communicate and sometimes encouraged others to do so, and that people who—like MOHAMED BAHI, the defendant—work for Official-1 also used Signal to communicate with Official-1 and others.”

Donor appears to have flipped on the Mayor:

“In the course of proffering with the Government, the Businessman admitted his involvement in straw donations to Official-1’s mayoral campaigns…”

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