Federal prosecutors who brought corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams last fall have recently presented additional evidence to a grand jury in his case, suggesting that they are taking steps to seek more charges — either against him, other people or both.
The disclosure that prosecutors have presented more evidence came from an unusual source: the mayor’s defense lawyers, who revealed in court papers dated Dec. 24 that a new witness had recently testified before the grand jury, whose proceedings are conducted in secret.
Days after the prosecutors announced the indictment of the mayor on Sept. 26, they said it was possible that they would bring additional charges. But the new testimony is the first public sign in three months that they are taking steps to do so, a prospect that some legal experts said had begun to seem increasingly unlikely. The presentation of additional evidence to the grand jury, which was confirmed by two people who were told of it, has not been previously reported.
The five-count indictment against the mayor charges him with bribery, fraud, soliciting illegal foreign campaign contributions and conspiracy as part of a scheme involving the Turkish government. He has pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence.
Prosecutors said on Monday in an unrelated court filing in the mayor’s case that they have continued to “uncover additional criminal conduct by Adams” and “identify additional individuals involved,” another indication new charges may be in the works. The filing did not elaborate on the conduct they said they had discovered.
The possibility of new charges comes as the mayor is facing trial in April, just weeks ahead of a June Democratic primary in which he hopes to emerge yet again as the party’s mayoral candidate, despite the challenges facing his campaign.
In recent months, a storm of federal and state investigations have upended the Adams administration. The inquiries led to the resignation of his police commissioner, first deputy mayor, deputy mayor for public safety, education chancellor, a senior adviser and the mayor’s chief adviser — who was herself indicted on state charges last month. That same week, the city’s campaign finance board denied Mr. Adams as much as $4.3 million in public matching funds.
Seizing on the parade of scandal and turmoil, at least eight challengers are vying to make Mr. Adams a one-term mayor.
Mr. Adams’s lawyers revealed the recent grand jury testimony in their Dec. 24 filing, which accused the government of improperly leaking information about the case to news organizations, and to The New York Times in particular.
It was the latest in a series of similar unsubstantiated complaints that the mayor’s lawyers have been making since October, when they asked the judge in the case to hold a hearing to gather evidence and examine their claims.
The judge, Dale E. Ho, denied that request. The mayor’s lawyers also asked him to consider sanctions against the prosecutors over what they said were government leaks, up to and including dismissal of the indictment. The prosecutors have categorically denied leaking any information.
In his December filing, one of Mr. Adams’s lawyers, Alex Spiro, asked the judge to “halt any further grand jury proceedings” in order to block what he described as further government leaks. The judge has yet to rule.
Mr. Spiro’s motion accused the government of leaking information about recent grand jury testimony to The Times, though The Times did not publish any article concerning a new presentation to a grand jury. Rather, the filing came a few days after Times reporters began making inquiries about whether a grand jury was again hearing evidence in the mayor’s case.
In their response to Mr. Spiro, prosecutors said there was “no indication whatsoever” that any grand jury information came from the government.
It is a violation of the law for federal prosecutors or agents, grand jurors or court personnel to disclose certain kinds of grand jury information. There is no restriction, however on its being shared by witnesses, their lawyers or anyone they disclose the information to.
Asked about his disclosure that the grand jury had recently heard testimony, Mr. Spiro, in a statement, said he had warned “the court that the government was leaking to The New York Times in order to mislead the public about their bogus case — and this article is the proof.”
“They’ve been desperately trying to bring additional charges since September and have been unsuccessful, for one simple reason — Mayor Adams committed no crime,” the statement said.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment on the case or the leak accusations.
Justice Department policy says prosecutors cannot use a grand jury solely to obtain additional evidence against a defendant who has already been indicted, as the mayor has been. The grand jury may, however, be used after indictment if the panel’s investigation is related to a superseding indictment — adding charges or defendants.
The prosecutors also challenged Mr. Spiro’s claims that the case is based on one particular witness, a former aide to the mayor who has been cooperating with prosecutors.
Last month, prosecutors told the judge that they had a strong case that included “multiple witnesses who will expressly implicate the defendant in criminal conduct.” The witness accounts, they said, were backed up by “electronic communications and other data obtained from over 50 cellphones and other electronic devices and accounts.” Previously, they had also cited evidence from 38 search warrants.
During a media availability on Tuesday, a reporter asked the mayor about the government’s contention that it had evidence he had engaged in additional criminal conduct.
“Even Ray Charles can see what’s going on,” Mr. Adams said, a reference to the blind singer and to his oft-stated argument that the Justice Department is pursuing a political agenda against him. “I’ve done nothing wrong,” he added.