Mohamed Bahi, a former senior liaison in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s administration, has been arrested on charges of witness tampering and destruction of evidence in connection with a federal bribery investigation involving Mayor Eric Adams.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Bahi, aged 40 and from Staten Island, was taken into custody on Oct. 8. Prosecutors alleged that he instructed individuals to lie to FBI agents and deleted encrypted communications during a federal search.
The charges are linked to an investigation into Adams’s 2021 mayoral campaign, where authorities claim illegal contributions from foreign sources were funneled through straw donors.
Bahi is accused of obstructing the investigation by directing individuals to provide false statements to investigators and deleting encrypted messages from the Signal app—used to communicate with Adams—while FBI agents were executing a search warrant at his residence.
Bahi’s arrest is the latest development in the ongoing federal case against Adams, who is accused of accepting $100,000 in contributions and undisclosed gifts from foreign entities. The allegations involve receiving lavish international flights, hotel stays, meals, and entertainment in exchange for political favors benefiting representatives of the Turkish government.
Adams, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, remains in office.
In the complaint against Bahi, prosecutors alleged that he obstructed the federal investigation by using intimidation and threats, directing potential witnesses to lie to law enforcement officers.
FBI Assistant Director James Dennehy stated, “These alleged actions were a deceitful attempt to conceal unlawful activity and create unnecessary obstacles for those working to uncover the truth.”
Attorneys for Bahi, who faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each charge, were not immediately available for comment.
The broader investigation has led to the indictment of Adams, who is the first mayor of New York City to face criminal charges while in office. Adams allegedly accepted free or discounted flights, meals, hotel stays, and entertainment at international destinations in exchange for political favors, not disclosing these benefits as required.
To cover up the alleged bribery, Adams is accused of taking steps to hide the transactions and creating false paper trails to conceal the gifts. He is also accused of deleting messages with others involved in his misconduct.
Despite calls for his resignation, Adams continues to serve as mayor, urging the public to withhold judgment until his side of the story is heard. Prosecutors have hinted at possible additional charges against Adams and others in the future.
No trial date has been set yet, with Adams’s attorney requesting it to be held in March 2025. Adams is scheduled to appear in court next on Nov. 1.
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