(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Federal investigators carried out yet raid in their investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s 2021 campaign — this time the FBI targeted the home of top aide Winnie Greco.
The raid’s frenzy ultimately led to Greco being rushed to hospital as the FBI seized boxes in their investigation into the potential use of an NYC mall’s workers for straw donations—where individuals donate to a campaign but later receive reimbursement.
News outlet The City first reported the allegations, revealing that Greco held campaign fundraising operations for Adams’s 2021 mayoral campaign at New World Mall.
🚨🇺🇸 BREAKING: FBI RAID HOME OF NYC MAYOR’S AIDE
The claim is that Winnie Greco misused her position by offering a campaign worker a job in return for renovating her kitchen. pic.twitter.com/4IAxyu0xmn
— Kacee Allen (@kaceerallen) February 29, 2024
Specifically, the news outlet claimed that one mall worker admitted to making a $249 donation to Adams at the request of her employer, only to then be reimbursed. Almost two dozen others admitted to participating in similar donation schemes under the same agreements.
A separate, but related, scheme led to a plea deal on Feb. 5 between Adams aide Dwayne Montgomery and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Similarly, Shahid and Yahya Mushtag pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor conspiracy charge in October, according to outlet.
These allegations also ignited a high-profile federal investigation into purported favors carried out by Adams on behalf of Turkish donors.
Greco currently serves as an Asian affairs advisor for the Adams administration, where she enjoys annual salary of $100,000.
The federal investigation into Greco initially surfaced in November 2023. After her medical episode, she is on leave.
Responding to the allegations, Adams asserted that he consistently urged his workers to abide by the rules. “Follow the law, follow the rules. I said it throughout my entire law enforcement career, and I’ve said it in my public life as well,” Adams said in an interview on NY1, according to the New York Post.
