New York City’s mayoral race has taken a dramatic turn in late August 2025, as Mayor Eric Adams finds himself at the center of a storm swirling with allegations of corruption, campaign blunders, and public controversy. What began as a lighthearted attempt by Adams to showcase his physical prowess has quickly been overshadowed by a cascade of scandals involving his closest aides, raising tough questions about leadership, loyalty, and ethics at City Hall.
It all started on Saturday, August 23, during a “Man’s event” in Brooklyn. Mayor Adams, never one to shy away from the spotlight, took to the bench press in front of a crowd, turning the moment into a pointed jab at his political opponent, Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee and frontrunner, had failed to complete a single bench press rep, prompting Adams’ campaign to post a mocking video on X (formerly Twitter). The post read, “67 vs. 33. A lifetime of hard work vs. a silver spoon. The results speak for themselves,”—a not-so-subtle dig at Mamdani’s youth and political ascent. But the jab backfired almost immediately. As reported by The City, Adams’ campaign had overstated his age by three years; the mayor is actually 64, not 67, and will turn 65 on September 1. Reporter Katie Honan quickly caught the error, sharing it on social media. Though Adams’ team corrected the mistake, the gaffe was already immortalized in screenshots, leaving the campaign red-faced and open to ridicule.
Yet, the age mix-up was only a sideshow compared to the deeper troubles brewing within Adams’ inner circle. Just days earlier, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Adams’ former chief adviser and a figure he has described as “like a sister,” was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office in a sprawling corruption case. According to amNY, Lewis-Martin faces charges in four separate indictments, accused of accepting lavish gifts—including thousands of dollars in seafood, an acting role opposite Forest Whitaker, and cash payments—in exchange for using her city government post to grant favors. The allegations paint a picture of a political operation where personal connections and backdoor deals have become all too common.
During a news conference on Friday, August 22, Adams refused to condemn Lewis-Martin, instead expressing unwavering support: “Ingrid is like a sister to me. I love Ingrid. She’s worked with me for over forty years. I served as a police officer with her husband. I know her son, and I know her, and I know her heart. And she and her attorney will deal with the case that’s in front of her. My prayers are with Ingrid, and I wish her the best.” Adams doubled down on his commitment to due process, stating, “If you condemn someone without that process, it’s a slap in the face of what our Constitution stands for. Let the due process play out.”
The mayor’s stance, however, has drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Mamdani, seizing the moment, held a press conference with street safety advocates, specifically highlighting allegations that Lewis-Martin halted a redesign of Brooklyn’s notoriously dangerous McGuiness Boulevard in exchange for a cameo in the Hulu show “Harlem Godfathers” and a $2,500 cash payment. “The mayor has had countless opportunities to rid his administration of those who have been alleged time and again to engage in corruption, and yet at seemingly every opportunity, he chooses to keep them close, and that says something about the style of leadership that he wants to practice at this city,” Mamdani charged. “It has gotten to the absurd.”
Meanwhile, the scandals have not been limited to Lewis-Martin. Another longtime Adams ally, Winne Greco, who once served as his liaison to the Asian community and as a campaign volunteer, was suspended last week after reportedly attempting to give reporter Katie Honan more than $100 in cash hidden inside a bag of potato chips. According to THE CITY, Greco claimed the cash was a “birthday gift,” but Adams was quick to distance himself from the incident: “We don’t give money to reporters. I don’t know anything about what took place there. We condemn that type of action—if that was done for the wrong reason.”
The potato-chip scandal quickly became the talk of the town. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, never one to miss a political opportunity, handed out bags of Doritos and other snacks to reporters at his own campaign event, poking fun at Greco’s bizarre gesture. Cuomo’s spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, couldn’t resist a jab: “If those whistles were used every time an Adams corruption scandal dropped, they’d be broken within 48 hours. The allegations against the governor were false and never went anywhere but Eric Adams.”
Adams’ campaign spokesperson, Todd Shapiro, attempted to draw a line under the controversies, stating, “Ingrid is not a City Hall staffer or campaign employee—what she does on her own time is her business. The mayor has already addressed ALL HE WILL BE SAYING REGARDING questions about Ingrid, Winnie, and Jessie.” (The last referring to Jesse Hamilton, another former city official indicted alongside Lewis-Martin.) But the mayor’s refusal to disclose whether Lewis-Martin remains involved in his campaign—despite reports she was instructing volunteers as recently as late June—has only fueled speculation about his willingness to sever ties with embattled allies.
Governor David Paterson, who endorsed Adams on Sunday, August 24, offered a candid assessment on WABC 770 AM radio: “What happens in campaigns is you get nicked to death. And that’s what’s happening to [Adams]. Every time it appears that he’s gaining some momentum—and none of this was his fault—somebody affiliated with him, something happens. His poll numbers aren’t that great right now. I was happy to endorse him because he’s the type of friend you endorse him no matter what the polls say. But [the potato-chip scandal] didn’t help the situation at all.”
Adding to the drama, the indictments have also ensnared Lewis-Martin’s son, Glen Martin II (known as DJ Suave Luciano), and prominent siblings Gina and Tony Argento, owners of Broadway Stages and donors to Adams. Both Glen Martin II and his mother face charges in a previous indictment from December, accused of trading favors with hoteliers in exchange for bribes, including a Porsche. When approached by reporters outside his mother’s Brooklyn home, Glen Martin II simply said, “I don’t have anything to say, OK?”
With Mamdani leading in recent polls and Adams’ campaign beset by scandal after scandal, the mayor has grown increasingly combative. At a recent news conference, he lashed out at his rivals, declaring, “I’m not going to leave this city to a beret-wearing carnival display,” in reference to Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and mocking Mamdani’s previous rap career. Adams even distributed whistles to reporters—a pointed reference to Cuomo’s own controversies—before tooting one himself as the event ended.
For New Yorkers, the spectacle has become something of a political circus, with each day bringing new twists. The city’s future leadership now hangs in the balance, as voters weigh not just policy proposals and campaign promises, but the very character and judgment of those vying for the city’s highest office.
In a city where political theater is never in short supply, the 2025 mayoral race has set a new standard for drama, raising questions that are sure to echo well beyond Election Day.
