Justice Department Orders New York Prosecutors to Drop Case Against Eric Adams

The Justice Department has asked federal prosecutors in New York to drop their corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the Justice Department reports. CBS.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove sent a memo on Feb. 10 directing prosecutors in the Southern District of New York to drop charges.

The department came to its conclusions

Bove wrote that the investigation into Adams' office "unreasonably limited Mayor Adams' ability to devote full attention and resources to illegal immigration and violent crime."

The attorney general said in a memo that the department "has not seen the evidence or legal theories upon which the case is based" and "in no way questions the integrity or efforts" of the prosecutors who brought the case.

Bove said the charges against Adams could be reviewed by the Southern District of New York after the November 2025 New York City mayoral election.

The stunning decision came in late January after department lawyers met with Adams' attorneys and federal prosecutors in Manhattan, where the top officials discussed dropping charges against the embattled mayor.

Allegations of corruption

In September, Adams was accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions, as well as upgrades to the class of service and other travel benefits from a Turkish official and other foreign citizens who tried to influence his decisions.

Several members of his administration have been indicted in the investigation. One of Adams' former City Hall aides agreed to plead guilty to charges stemming from the probe last week.

In January, federal prosecutors hinted that additional charges could be filed against the mayor. Investigators continue to identify people involved in Adams’s behavior and uncover the mayor’s criminal actions. Court records show that the grand jury in the case heard new witnesses as early as December.

Adams pleaded not guilty to all charges. The mayor's trial was scheduled to begin in April.

On the subject: Eric Adams has not ruled out switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party

“As I said from the beginning, the mayor is innocent — and he will prevail. He did so today,” said Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro. “The Justice Department reviewed this case and decided it should not proceed. There are good reasons for that. The facts of this case are clear. The mayor has never used his official position for personal gain. He has not engaged in any campaign finance violations.”

Adams claims he was prosecuted by President Joe Biden’s Justice Department for criticizing its immigration policies. Trump has hinted that he might pardon Adams. The president said at a mid-December press conference that he “doesn’t know the facts” of Adams’ case but believes “he was treated pretty unfairly.”

The decision to drop the charges must still be formally submitted by prosecutors and approved by the judge overseeing the case.

Shelter for Adams

Since his indictment, Adams has become close to U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration. He met with Trump in Florida before he took office and attended his inauguration in Washington, D.C. The mayor also attended the National Prayer Breakfast in the nation’s capital last week. Adams said he did not discuss his corruption case with Trump at their meeting in Florida.

Immigration Authorities detained hundreds of illegal immigrantsTo do so, they have conducted raids in sanctuary cities, including New York City, which has largely escaped prosecution by the Trump administration.

The White House last week sued Chicago and the state of Illinois over their immigration policies. City Hall sources recently said they believed the city was saved because of the mayor's relationship with the White House.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem recently said Adams is cooperating with DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Adams emphasized that DHS operations in the city are focused on violent criminals. In late January, he directed the NYPD to assist federal law enforcement in a “targeted operation” to arrest a suspected gang member.

But his willingness to cooperate with federal authorities has raised alarm among some state lawmakers and advocacy groups. New York is a sanctuary city. Laws prohibit city agencies from cooperating with immigration agents on anything other than criminal deportations.