(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) New York City Mayor Eric Adams reportedly issued a warning to a former member of his administration regarding an ongoing investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg into alleged corruption-related crimes.
The New York Times reported on Thursday that Adams gave the warning to Eric Ulrich, who previously served as the buildings commissioner, just before Manhattan prosecutors questioned Ulrich about matters related to the alleged crimes, which are currently under a sealed indictment.
According to the Times, Adams reportedly advised Ulrich to “watch your back and watch your phones” months before the investigation gained momentum.
In response, Ulrich acknowledged to prosecutors that he interpreted the message as a warning against Bragg’s investigation.
In turn, state prosecutors seized Ulrich’s phone in November 2022, igniting his resignation days later.
As the Times‘s reported, Ulrich, a Democrat, had received an apartment at a discounted rate from a real estate executive who had business dealings with the city, raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest and ultimately leading to the sealed indictment.
Benjamin Brafman, an attorney representing Ulrich, vehemently criticized Bragg’s charges, labeling them as “patently false.” Brafman asserted that Ulrich paid the market rate for the apartment without any discount whatsoever.
Recently, Bragg has come under scrutiny from federal Republican lawmakers for pursuing what they perceive as politically motivated charges against former President Donald Trump.
Notably, this indictment against Ulrich marks the second time Bragg has prosecuted close allies of Mayor Adams. Earlier in the year, Bragg announced charges related to an alleged illegal conspiracy to funnel funds into Adams’ mayoral campaign in 2021, which also included a close friend of the mayor.
In response to the reports, the Mayor’s Office denied any involvement by Adams in warning Ulrich about the investigation. The Times stated that even if such a warning had occurred, it would not be considered a state crime.
A spokesperson for Adams asserted, “The mayor hasn’t spoken to Mr. Ulrich or Mr. Montgomery about either of the respective investigations, either before or after they became public,” as reported by the Times.
Bragg is expected to announce the indictment in September.
