Federal Agents Search Homes of NYPD Commissioner, Mayor’s Aides

(Bloomberg) -- Federal agents searched the homes of multiple senior officials in New York Mayor Eric Adams’s administration, including Police Commissioner Edward Caban and Deputy Mayors Sheena Wright and Philip Banks, according to people familiar with the matter.

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Investigators also seized the phones of officials including senior Adams adviser Tim Pearson and Raul Pintos, who serves as Caban’s chief of staff, the people said. The searches occurred Wednesday, they said.

The reason for the searches wasn’t immediately clear. Representatives for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manhattan US Attorney’s office declined to comment.

A spokesperson said the New York City Police Department is aware of and is “fully cooperating” in a federal investigation.

Lisa Zornberg, chief counsel to the mayor’s office, said that “investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation.” She added that “as a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law.”

The searches are the latest sign of potential peril for the mayor, a former police captain who is up for reelection next year. Federal prosecutors have been investigating his 2021 campaign for potential campaign finance violations, the New York Times reported last month. Prosecutors sought information about a range of areas including Adams’ travel and fund raising.

A person familiar with Wednesday’s sweep of Caban, Wright and Banks’ homes said they did not seem to be related to that investigation.

According to the Times, that probe is tied to a so-called straw donor scheme to conceal illegal contributions to Adams’ campaign from the Turkish government or Turkish nationals.

--With assistance from Ava Benny-Morrison and Nacha Cattan.

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