The FBI has seized the mobile phones of New York City Mayor Eric Adams in what appears to be an escalation of a campaign finance investigation. Agents took two iPhones and an iPad from the mayor on Monday night, his campaign confirmed.
Boyd Johnson, a lawyer for the Adams campaign, said the mayor complied immediately with the FBI's request. "The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to co-operate with the investigation," Johnson told the BBC's US partner CBS.
The probe became public last week when the FBI raided the home of Brianna Suggs, the mayor's top campaign fundraiser. Agents seized laptops and phones from the 25-year-old lobbyist's Brooklyn residence, including a folder labelled "Eric Adams".
A search warrant indicates prosecutors are investigating whether the Adams campaign conspired with the Turkish government or individuals linked to Turkey to violate campaign finance laws. Investigators are also looking into whether the campaign provided benefits in return for donations.
Foreign nationals are prohibited from making contributions to US election campaigns. Law enforcement officials have suggested that the alleged scheme aimed to disguise foreign money as donations from American citizens.
