Political intrigue and scandal have once again taken center stage in New York City, as the administration of Mayor Eric Adams faces a cascade of corruption charges and public scrutiny just months before a heated mayoral election. On August 21, 2025, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office unveiled four indictments targeting some of the city’s most influential political figures, including Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a former chief adviser to Adams, her son Glenn Martin II, and seven other associates. The sweeping bribery allegations threaten to reshape the city’s political landscape and cast a long shadow over Adams’s bid for re-election this November.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, the charges against Lewis-Martin and her co-defendants stem from what prosecutors described as a “wide-ranging series of bribery conspiracies.” District Attorney Alvin Bragg did not mince words in his official statement, asserting, “We allege that Ingrid Lewis-Martin engaged in classic bribery conspiracies that had a deep and wide-ranging impact on City government. Lewis-Martin consistently overrode the expertise of public servants so she could line her own pockets. While she allegedly received more than $75,000 in bribes and an appearance on a TV show, every other New Yorker lost out.”
Lewis-Martin, once nicknamed the “Lioness of City Hall,” had been one of Adams’s closest confidantes before resigning in December 2024 amid the mounting corruption investigation. The latest indictments allege that she, along with her son—a music producer known as Suave Luciano—accepted bribes in exchange for expediting construction permits, steering contracts for asylum-seeker shelters, and even influencing city infrastructure plans. Prosecutors say the pair received over $100,000 in checks and cash from real estate developers for facilitating approvals without regard to safety or the expertise of the Department of Buildings.
The details laid out by the DA’s office are nothing short of eye-opening. In one instance, Lewis-Martin and Martin are accused of fast-tracking a residential renovation plan in return for nearly $10,000 worth of free catering—think crab cakes, octopus, and salmon dishes. In another, Lewis-Martin allegedly interfered with the Department of Transportation’s plans to install bike lanes on a New York City boulevard, reportedly to benefit the owners of Broadway Stages, a prominent TV and film production company. The production company, in turn, is said to have rewarded her with a speaking role on the TV show Godfather of Harlem, as well as additional money and catering services.
Yet the allegations do not end there. The indictments further claim that Lewis-Martin worked to “steer contracts” for asylum-seeker shelters to an associate’s preferred property owners, raising serious questions about the integrity of the city’s response to its ongoing migrant crisis. Notably, two politically connected donors—Gina and Tony Argento, siblings who operate the soundstage company Broadway Stages—were also indicted as part of the DA’s probe, according to Crain’s New York Business.
Both Lewis-Martin and her son have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. Their legal representatives have dismissed the accusations as politically motivated, a defense echoed by several of Adams’s remaining allies. But the timing and breadth of the indictments have only intensified the scrutiny surrounding Adams’s administration, which has been battered by a series of scandals since he took office in 2022.
Winnie Greco, another longtime Adams ally, found herself at the center of a separate bribery controversy earlier in August. As reported by Crain’s New York Business and The City, Greco allegedly attempted to bribe a local reporter by slipping an envelope of cash into a bag of potato chips. The incident led to her immediate suspension from Adams’s campaign, further fueling public skepticism about the mayor’s inner circle and their conduct.
Jesse Hamilton, a former state senator and current deputy with the Department of City Administrative Services, was also swept up in the DA’s latest indictments. The charges against Hamilton and others point to a pattern of influence-peddling and self-dealing that, according to prosecutors, has undermined the integrity of city government across multiple departments and initiatives. The schemes allegedly touched everything from migrant shelters and a karaoke bar in Queens to the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint and even renovations at Gracie Mansion, the mayoral residence.
These scandals have not gone unnoticed in the city’s political sphere. The upcoming November 2025 mayoral election is now shaping up to be a referendum on Adams’s leadership and the broader state of New York City’s Democratic establishment. Adams, who originally ran as a centrist Democrat, has since rebranded himself as an independent and drawn closer to Republican President Donald Trump. In a twist that few could have predicted just a few years ago, Trump has publicly voiced support for Adams while opposing the Democratic nominee, Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani.
“We have a communist running for the mayor of New York, and I wish him well,” Trump declared on August 13, 2025, referring to Mamdani. “I may have to deal with him.” Trump’s remarks underscore the high political stakes of the mayoral contest, which is widely viewed as a litmus test for the direction of the Democratic Party and the city’s approach to governance in a post-pandemic era.
Meanwhile, the city council’s political dynamics are shifting. On August 21, 2025, PIX11 reported that Council Member Keith Powers, a prominent voice in city politics, had endorsed Mamdani in the mayoral race. Powers’s endorsement followed the council’s recent vote to rezone parts of Midtown, signaling a possible realignment among the city’s progressive and moderate factions as the election draws near.
Adams himself has not been immune to legal peril. In September 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice—then under President Joe Biden—unveiled a criminal indictment accusing the mayor of bribery and illegal campaign contributions. Among the most explosive allegations: Adams allegedly pressured the New York City Fire Department to allow the Turkish Consulate to open an office in a local high-rise without a fire inspection, all to accommodate a visit from Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In return, Adams was said to have received free or discounted travel on Turkey’s national airline, luxury hotel stays, and complimentary food and entertainment during a trip abroad. The indictment also described a scheme involving “straw” donations that funneled illegal campaign contributions into his 2021 election bid.
In a dramatic turn, the federal charges against Adams were dropped in April 2025 after Trump’s Justice Department took office. Several career prosecutors resigned in protest, with one, Hagan Scotten, penning a blistering letter: “I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.” Judge Dale Ho, who dismissed the indictment, expressed skepticism about the Justice Department’s motives, writing, “Everything here smacks of a bargain: dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions.”
Since then, Adams’s relationship with Trump has cooled, especially following controversial immigration arrests at city courthouses. Nonetheless, Trump remains vocally opposed to Mamdani, keeping the political spotlight firmly on New York City’s turbulent mayoral race.
As the November election approaches, the city finds itself at a crossroads, with its leadership, ethics, and future direction under intense public examination. The outcome will not only determine who occupies Gracie Mansion but also signal how New Yorkers want their city governed in an era marked by both crisis and opportunity.
