New York City’s mayoral race, already fraught with political friction and public skepticism, took a dramatic turn this week as two former advisers to Mayor Eric Adams became embroiled in separate scandals—one involving a cash-stuffed potato chip bag offered to a reporter, and the other a sweeping bribery indictment. The twin controversies have cast a long shadow over Adams’s embattled reelection campaign, raising new questions about ethics, influence, and the culture of City Hall.
It all began on August 20, 2025, when Winnie Greco, a longtime Adams ally, fundraiser, and former director of Asian affairs, approached Katie Honan, a City Hall reporter for The City, after a campaign event in Harlem. According to The City, Greco handed Honan a bag of Herr’s Sour Cream & Onion potato chips. At first, Honan believed the bag was simply a snack, but Greco insisted she take it. Only later, while at a subway station, did Honan discover the bag contained a red envelope with at least one $100 bill and several $20 bills inside.
Honan immediately attempted to return the money, texting Greco, “I can’t take this, when can I give it back to you?” But her message went unanswered. Instead, Honan turned the cash over to her editors, who notified the city’s Department of Investigation. Federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Brooklyn later confiscated the cash as evidence. The incident, as reported by The City and corroborated by NBC News, set off a wave of concern about the integrity of Adams’s campaign and the boundaries between public officials and the press.
When confronted by The City, Greco called the incident a “mistake” and pleaded, “Can we forget about this? I try to be a good person. Please. Please. Please don’t do in the news nothing about me.” Greco, who is Chinese, explained that the gesture was rooted in cultural tradition, a point echoed by her attorney, Steven Brill, who told The City, “I can see how this looks strange. But I assure you that Winnie’s intent was purely innocent. In the Chinese culture, money is often given to others in a gesture of friendship and gratitude. Winnie is apologetic and embarrassed by any negative impression or confusion this may have caused.”
Despite Greco’s explanation, the optics were damning. Todd Shapiro, spokesperson for Adams’s campaign, said in a statement to The City that “Winnie Greco holds no position in this campaign and has been suspended from all volunteer campaign-related activities. We are shocked by these reports. Mayor Adams had no prior knowledge of this matter.” Greco’s role as a key liaison to the city’s Asian American communities and as a top fundraiser for Adams had already placed her under scrutiny. Just last year, two of her properties were raided by federal agents as part of an investigation into alleged straw donor schemes related to Adams’s 2021 campaign. While Adams himself has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Greco, the episode has fueled ongoing concerns about the campaign’s ethical standards.
Richard Kim, editor in chief of The City, didn’t mince words, calling Greco’s attempted gift “deeply disturbing” and adding, “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.”
As the city was still digesting news of the potato chip bag incident, another bombshell dropped less than 24 hours later. On August 21, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the indictment of Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Adams’s former chief adviser, on four counts of conspiracy and four counts of bribe receiving. According to Bragg, Lewis-Martin allegedly accepted more than $75,000 in bribes between March 2022 and November 2024, using her position to steer city contracts, fast-track development permits, and override the expertise of public servants—all in exchange for money, home renovations, and lavish catering for events at City Hall and Gracie Mansion.
One particularly brazen episode detailed by prosecutors involved Lewis-Martin’s intervention in the Department of Transportation’s redesign of McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn. At the request of Gina and Tony Argento, who are associated with the film-production company Broadway Stages, Lewis-Martin allegedly pushed the department to revoke approval for the street’s redesign, which included new bike lanes. In exchange, she reportedly received a $2,500 payment and a cameo appearance on the television series Godfather of Harlem. Prosecutors cited text messages in which Lewis-Martin dismissed community advocates, telling Gina Argento, “I will call you. We do not care what they say. We are ignoring them and continuing with our plan. They can kiss my ass.”
The indictments also named Lewis-Martin’s son, Glenn Martin II, and former state senator Jesse Hamilton. The mother-son duo are accused of accepting $50,000 in exchange for steering city contracts for asylum-seeker shelter sites and helping fast-track permits for a karaoke bar in Queens. Both Lewis-Martin and her son had previously faced bribery and money-laundering charges, which were dropped in December 2024 shortly after Lewis-Martin’s resignation from City Hall. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Arthur Aidala, Lewis-Martin’s attorney, denied any wrongdoing, accusing Bragg of trying to “portray a dedicated and honest public servant as a criminal.” Aidala insisted, “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.”
Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber responded to the scandal by calling for a review of permits related to the indictments, underscoring the broader implications for city governance and public trust.
The fallout from these twin scandals was swift and fierce on the campaign trail. Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani didn’t hold back, stating on social media, “Our city deserves a mayor who spends their time with constituents, not stuck in courtrooms. We need a new era of leadership.” Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, also a contender, called the legal troubles “unforgivable” and questioned Adams’s viability as a candidate, even handing out bags of chips to reporters in a pointed jab. Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa seized on the controversy to criticize both Adams and Cuomo, declaring, “We’ve watched governors abuse power, shut down corruption probes, resign in disgrace, and mayors whose cronies end up in handcuffs or trying to bribe reporters with cash in potato chip bags. That is the broken political class. The contrast could not be clearer.”
As the mayoral race barrels toward November, the scandals swirling around Adams’s former advisers have only heightened the stakes, underscoring the urgent need for transparency and accountability in city government. For many New Yorkers, the events of this week have made one thing clear: the city’s political future may hinge as much on its leaders’ integrity as on their policies.
