A lawyer for Adams said that the equipment was seized on Monday and had now been returned to the mayor. The mayor “is not accused of anything and is fully cooperating with the authorities,” the lawyer said.
Sources told The New York Times that the two phones and an iPad were taken by FBI agents after an event in Manhattan on Monday evening. The FBI has declined to comment on the news.
The New York Times revealed earlier this week that Adams was under investigation for possible corruption. The home of his 2021 campaign fundraiser, now 25-year-old Brianna Suggs, was searched early this month. The search warrant used and seen by the newspaper said it was seeking evidence of “violations of campaign finance regulations.” Adams, the Turkish government or Turkish nationals and a Brooklyn construction company are believed to have been involved in the plot, the newspaper reported.
Adams, 63, has been mayor of New York since the beginning of last year. He worked for the police in the past. “I expect all my staff to comply with the law and cooperate fully with any investigation,” he said in a statement on Friday. “That is exactly what I will do.”