Eric Adams’ Ex-Aide Charged With Witness Tampering And Destroying Evidence

A former New York City official was charged Tuesday with witness tampering and destroying evidence related to a federal investigation that led to Mayor Eric Adams’ bribery indictment.
According to The Associated Press (AP) Federal prosecutors allege that Mohamed Bahi, who resigned on Monday from his role as a community affairs liaison in Adams’ administration, instructed a business owner and campaign donors to lie to the FBI in June. Bahi is also accused of deleting an encrypted messaging app, Signal, from his cellphone in July while FBI agents were executing a search warrant at his home.
According to prosecutors, Bahi used the app to communicate with Adams.
Bahi, 40, of Staten Island, was arrested Tuesday and is expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan. He is the first person other than Adams to be charged in the ongoing investigation.
Embattled New York Mayor Eric Adams was indicted last month and pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals; wire fraud; solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national; and bribery.
The 57-page indictment alleges that Adams accepted over $100,000 in undisclosed gifts including luxury travel and hotel stays from Turkish businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official.
In the Department of Justice charges brought in the case against Bahi, FBI Assistant Director James E. Dennehy said Adams’ aid “allegedly interfered with an active investigation by ordering third parties to lie to federal agents and deleting potentially incriminating correspondence from his personal electronic devices.” He further said “These alleged actions were a deceitful attempt to conceal unlawful activity and create unnecessary obstacles for those working to uncover the truth.”
When laying out the same charges U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said “The charges unsealed today should leave no doubt about the seriousness of any effort to interfere with a federal investigation, particularly when undertaken by a government employee.”
Department of Investigations Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber described the charges as “serious” while thanking the FBI and Department of Justice for their integrity.
Multiple politicians have called for Adams’ resignation, including New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. “The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration. For the good of the city, he should resign.”
However, Adams has not expressed any plans to resign so far.
“From here, my attorneys will take care of the case so I can take care of the city,” Adams said at a press conference last month. “My day to day will not change.”
Information on a lawyer representing Bahi was not listed in the online court docket.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press