New York City’s political landscape was rocked once again this week as Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the former chief advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, was charged with accepting more than $75,000 in bribes and other illicit benefits, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the city’s Department of Investigation. The charges, announced on August 21, 2025, add to a growing list of corruption scandals swirling around the mayor’s inner circle as he campaigns for reelection this November.
The sweeping indictments reach beyond Lewis-Martin, implicating her son, two siblings who own a major soundstage studio company in the city, and Jesse Hamilton, a former New York State senator and deputy commissioner at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services—himself a close ally of Adams. The allegations paint a picture of a City Hall where influence could allegedly be bought, and official decisions bent for personal gain.
"We allege that Ingrid Lewis-Martin engaged in classic bribery conspiracies that had a deep and wide-ranging impact on City government," District Attorney Bragg stated, as reported by CNN. "As alleged, Lewis-Martin consistently overrode the expertise of public servants so she could line her own pockets."
Prosecutors claim Lewis-Martin used her considerable influence at City Hall to steer government contracts, fast-track permits for a Queens karaoke bar, and intervene in policy decisions in exchange for cash, a speaking role on the TV show "Godfather of Harlem" (filmed at the Argento siblings’ studios), and thousands in catering services for events at Gracie Mansion and City Hall. In one instance, she allegedly received $2,500 in cash, about $10,000 worth of catering, and a television appearance as part of these schemes.
According to court documents, Lewis-Martin’s actions extended to influencing the city’s Department of Transportation to withdraw approval for renovations on a road used by Broadway Stages, a production company run by Gina and Tony Argento—described as high-powered donors with deep city ties. The Argentos, along with Lewis-Martin’s son and other co-defendants, were arraigned in Manhattan criminal court on August 21. All eight defendants, including a corporation, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Lewis-Martin’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, dismissed the accusations, calling them overblown and politically motivated. "Ingrid Lewis Martin is facing charges classified at the lowest level of felony in our justice system. Her only so-called ‘offense’ was fulfilling her duty—helping fellow citizens navigate the City’s outdated and often overwhelming bureaucracy. At no point did she receive a single dollar or any personal benefit for her assistance," Aidala said in a statement to CNN. He continued, "Yet, the District Attorney seeks to portray a dedicated and honest public servant as a criminal. This is not justice—it is a distortion of the truth and a troubling example of politically motivated ‘lawfare.’ We will vigorously fight these charges and ensure that the facts prevail. The public deserves to know the truth, and we will not allow this injustice to stand."
Jesse Hamilton, who resigned his city post the same day he was charged, also pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Mark Pollard, issued a statement asserting, "He has dedicated his career to serving the people of this city and state with integrity in numerous positions including his years of service as a New York State Senator and a District Leader. These allegations do not reflect who he is, what he stands for, or the record of service he has built over decades. We are confident that when the facts are brought to light, it will be clear that he has committed no wrongdoing."
Mayor Adams, though not named in the indictment and not accused of wrongdoing, finds himself once more in the eye of a political storm. Adams’ campaign spokesperson, Todd Shapiro, said, "While Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration, she has been a friend and colleague of the mayor for over 40 years, and he knows her as a devoted public servant; she has declared her innocence, and his prayers are with her and her family." Shapiro added that Adams "also recognizes that Jesse Hamilton has pleaded not guilty, and like anyone accused, he is entitled to the presumption of innocence. His commitment to New Yorkers is unwavering—no distraction will ever take his eyes off the ball or his dedication to this great city we all call home."
The timing could hardly be worse for Adams, who is seeking a second term as an independent after opting out of the Democratic primary, a move prompted by his own corruption scandal last year. Federal charges against Adams were dismissed in April 2025, with the Department of Justice stating that the case was hindering his ability to govern, specifically in cooperating with President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The dismissal sparked controversy and led to the resignation of several high-profile prosecutors. Adams’ political opponents, including Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani and former Governor Andrew Cuomo (himself running as an independent), have seized on the latest scandals to question the mayor’s fitness for office.
Mamdani called for "a new era of leadership" in response to the new charges, telling CNN, "New Yorkers are paying the price as another flurry of indictments continue to erode their trust in our democracy and distract from the affordability crisis that demands action and urgency." Cuomo was even more blunt: "I don’t believe he is viable. I think New Yorkers have made it clear that they just have had enough of Mayor Adams. New Yorkers shouldn’t trust him, and I think that is unforgivable what he did."
Public sentiment appears to echo these criticisms. Polling from earlier in 2025 shows Adams with historically low approval ratings among city voters, a vulnerability that Mamdani and Cuomo have been quick to exploit by tying Adams to Trump and painting him as compromised by scandal.
Adding to the mayor’s woes, another bizarre episode emerged just a day before the Lewis-Martin indictments. Winnie Greco, a longtime Adams advisor and campaign volunteer, allegedly tried to hand reporter Katie Honan a bag of potato chips containing a red envelope stuffed with cash after a campaign event in Harlem. The news outlet THE CITY, which broke the story, reported that Greco asked Honan to meet her near a campaign office, then handed her the bag at a Whole Foods. Honan discovered the cash after parting ways.
Richard Kim, editor in chief for THE CITY, told CNN, "The fact that one of mayor Adams’ closest, longtime advisors would attempt to ingratiate herself to any reporter, much less Katie Honan with a cash gift is deeply disturbing and speaks to a rampant and blatant disregard for the role of a free and fair press." Greco, whose home was raided by the FBI last year in connection with a separate investigation, resigned from the Adams campaign following the incident.
Greco’s attorney, Steven Brill, characterized the event as a misunderstanding, saying, "This is not a payoff, this is not a bag of cash in some dark alley, it’s not any quid pro quo for favorable news coverage, this was merely a gesture of kindness and affection that Winnie tried to convey to this reporter." Brill explained that the red envelope is a traditional Chinese token, and Greco was embarrassed once she realized it had been misconstrued.
As Adams tries to steady his reelection bid amid the swirl of scandal, the city’s political future hangs in the balance, with trust in its leadership at a low ebb and calls for change growing louder from all sides.
