The former top aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams was charged with receiving bribes in a basic “quid professional quo” scheme with an actual property enterprise that financially benefitted her and her son, officers mentioned Thursday.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin “engaged in a long-running bribery, cash laundering and conspiracy scheme” to “illegally affect Department of Buildings and different metropolis choices in trade for greater than $100,000 in money and advantages for herself and her son, Glenn Martin II,” in keeping with a Manhattan Supreme Court submitting by DA Alvin Bragg.
Lewis-Martin, Martin and two actual property buyers, Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi, all pleaded not responsible in a Manhattan courtroom Thursday afternoon to a wide range of prices linked to their alleged pay-to-play scheme.
Prosecutors referred to as Lewis-Martin “the second most senior particular person in City Hall” and mentioned she “abused her place and offered her affect to complement herself and her household.”
“The indictment unsealed immediately could be summarized in three phrases — quid professional quo,” Bragg instructed reporters.
“Today’s indictment alleges and portrays a transparent image: ‘You do that for me and I’ll do this for you.’ It was not what’s in the very best curiosity of the town of New York and people who dwell right here.”
The defendant had been the longtime chief adviser to Adams till her abrupt resignation on Sunday, marking one other tumultuous second for the mayor of America’s largest metropolis.
Lewis-Martin and her son shared a joint checking account that was used to purchase him a 2023 Porsche, help his DJ enterprise and assist finance his plans to open a Chick-fil-A franchise, officers mentioned.
The defendants communicated utilizing encrypted apps with “coded language” to ask for assist inside City Hall, Bragg mentioned.
“This was an unfettered, on-call quid professional quo association,” Bragg mentioned.
Lewis-Martin’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, scoffed on the Manhattan DA’s case towards his shopper.
“The district lawyer’s workplace’s interpretation of those details will make no sense to any New York jury,” Aidala mentioned in an announcement. “To assume a high-ranking metropolis official would take a bribe within the type of a verify and deposit it into their very own checking account defies frequent sense.”
Lewis-Martin and her son have been charged with alleged conspiracy, receiving bribes and cash laundering. Vaid and Dwivedi have been charged with bribery and conspiracy.
“We sit up for the residents of the town of New York, who Ingrid has served so admirably for many years, clearing her identify after a trial,” Aidala added.
Adams was indicted by a federal grand jury three months in the past on bribery, marketing campaign finance and conspiracy prices.
The mayor allegedly received lavish gift and illegal campaign contributions from international nationals, together with from Turkish pursuits to assist that authorities bypass New York City safety guidelines to open a brand new consulate constructing.
This Manhattan DA case towards Lewis-Martin has no connection to Mayor Adams, in keeping with prosecutors.
“The mayor is just not a goal of our investigation and we wouldn’t have proof of prison conduct by the mayor,” Bragg mentioned.
The Adams administration has seen a mass exodus in latest weeks of officers and advisers.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban resigned on Sept. 12 amid a federal probe into the division’s nightclub enforcement, in keeping with sources acquainted with the matter.
Adams’ chief counsel, Lisa Zornberg, resigned on Sept. 14 within the wake of mounting authorized points for her boss.
New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks was set to retire and go away workplace late this yr, however as a substitute hastened his departure to mid-October.
Sheena Wright, Adams’ high deputy mayor, resigned on Oct. 8.
