NEW YORK — The previous high aide to New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams ran audacious bribery schemes out of Metropolis Corridor — promoting off her assist as a public official 4 completely different instances to folks prepared to bathe her with cash or items, in line with a collection of indictments unsealed Thursday.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the previous chief adviser to the mayor, is accused by a grand jury of serving to mates safe profitable metropolis contracts and expediting their regulatory points with metropolis authorities in trade for money funds to her son, free house renovations, almost $10,000 price of seafood for metropolis occasions and even a visitor look on the TV present “Godfather of Harlem.”
Lewis-Martin used her affect as Adams’ longest-serving aide and “overrode other City officials’ expertise and decision making to ensure that certain required actions were accomplished for the benefit of her co-conspirators,” prosecutors with the Manhattan District Lawyer’s workplace wrote in a sweeping and detail-rich abstract of the indictments.
Adams, who’s going through lengthy odds as he runs for reelection as an impartial, is just not accused of wrongdoing in any of the circumstances. However they’re simply the most recent allegations of corruption to cloud Adams’ time in Metropolis Corridor — a problem that appears destined to outline his tenure in workplace.
That features the mayor’s personal federal corruption costs alleging a bribery conspiracy by the Turkish authorities — a case that was dismissed following the intervention of President Donald Trump’s administration. However the allegations additionally embrace state corruption costs towards Adams’ former buildings commissioner, a collection of responsible pleas involving straw donor schemes to the mayor’s marketing campaign and different federal legal investigations resulting in the resignation of a number of excessive rating administration officers.
Lewis-Martin was arraigned in legal court docket in Manhattan Thursday morning and pleaded not responsible to 4 counts of conspiracy within the fourth diploma, and 4 counts of bribe receiving within the second diploma. Her lawyer downplayed the fees and particularly denied the accusation she acquired a $2,500 money fee in trade for combating towards a road security redesign.
“Her only so-called ‘offense’ was fulfilling her duty—helping fellow citizens navigate the City’s outdated and often overwhelming bureaucracy.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,” Arthur L. Aidala mentioned in a press release.
“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,’” Aidala added, saying Lewis-Martin will “vigorously fight these charges.”
Adams defended Lewis-Martin in a press release, and mentioned he wouldn’t let the indictments distract him.
“I have not been accused of any wrongdoing, and my focus remains on serving the 8.5 million New Yorkers by making our city safer and more affordable every day,” Adams mentioned. “While Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration, she has been a friend and colleague for over 40 years, and I know her as a devoted public servant; she has declared her innocence, and my prayers are with her and her family.”
Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg’s workplace alleges 4 completely different schemes.
One other longtime Adams ally Jesse Hamilton, a deputy commissioner on the Division of Citywide Administrative Providers, is charged alongside Lewis-Martin in a single case the place the pair is accused of selling actual property developer Yehiel Landau’s initiatives in trade for greater than $5,000 price of renovations on houses owned by each metropolis officers.
Hamilton resigned Thursday, DCAS Commissioner Louis Molina mentioned in a press release, and famous that Hamilton by no means had impartial authority to execute leases and he was topic to elevated oversight.
In one other case, Lewis-Martin is accused of steering metropolis contracts offering housing for asylum seekers to a pal who owned a karaoke membership. In return, prosecutors allege Tian Ji Li paid Martin’s son Glenn Martin II $50,000 and offered karaoke events for Lewis-Martin.
“Whatever site TJ wants, I need him to get them,” Lewis-Martin texted Hamilton about Li, in line with the indictment, “Because that’s our fucking people.”
In a 3rd case, Lewis-Martin is accused of advocating towards the town’s plans for a road redesign to assist Gina and Tony Argento, leaders of a movie manufacturing firm who opposed the challenge. Gina Argento paid Lewis-Martin $2,500 for her assist, prosecutors declare, offered free catering providers to the town and helped Lewis-Martin safe a talking function on the TV present “Godfather of Harlem.”
From her perch in Metropolis Corridor, Lewis-Martin eagerly fought the redesign plan that had been chosen by the Division of Transportation. Prosecutors say she texted Gina Argento a flyer selling the plan. “We do not care what they say,” Lewis-Martin wrote. “We are ignoring them and continuing with our plan. They can kiss my ass.”
And at last, Lewis-Martin is accused of serving to expedite points with the Division of Buildings for an unnamed pal in trade for “free seafood … valued at almost $10,000” for numerous occasions at Metropolis Corridor and the mayor’s residence within the spring and summer time of 2024.
Together with Lewis-Martin, her son and Hamilton, the 4 enterprise folks had been charged with conspiracy and bribery Thursday. All pleaded not responsible.
Decide Daniel Conviser expressed frustration making an attempt to schedule the primary look for the defendants throughout 4 circumstances. “I’m sorry, there’s like ten people, and I’ve got to have everybody here at one time and everybody’s got different schedules,” he mentioned, predicting there can be “a massive amount of discovery.”
Lewis-Martin resigned from Metropolis Corridor in December earlier than being indicted on separate corruption costs to which she pleaded not responsible. She continued to volunteer for Adams’ reelection marketing campaign regardless of that, taking part in the function of political adviser wherein she served Adams for 20 years.
Married to one in all Adams’ mates from his time within the NYPD, Lewis-Martin helped Adams get elected to the state Senate in 2006, and the 2 of them masterminded a long-term plan to make him mayor — culminating in his 2021 election.
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