FBI agents raided the homes of two top aides to New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday as federal authorities continue to swirl around City Hall.
Authorities showed up at the homes of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III in Manhattan and Queens, respectively, at around 5 a.m., the City reported.
It is not clear why the FBI raided their homes, but both officials’ cellphones and laptops were confiscated. NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and other top department officials also had their homes raided Thursday, WPIX-TV reported. NYPD Chief Raul Pintos and two Queens precinct commanders also had their homes searched, according to the outlet.
None of the officials are being questioned, according to the outlet, but “the NYPD has been asked to isolate emails from high-ranking executives.”
The raids follow several other searches of Adams’s top aides’ homes, as well as an investigation into Adams over whether his campaign conspired to obtain illegal foreign donations from entities tied to the Turkish government.
“Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation,” a City Hall lawyer told NBC. “As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law.”
An NBC City Hall source said they do not believe the searches of Wright and Banks’s homes were related to the Turkey investigation.
Wright is the fiancée of David Banks, Phillip Banks’s brother, and was appointed chancellor of New York City Schools by Adams.
“Today is the first day of school, and I am thrilled,” said David Banks when asked about the raid.
Earlier this year, the FBI searched the home of Winnie Greco, Adams’s director of Asian American affairs.
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The investigations come as Adams faces very low polling numbers. Only 16% of “likely” voters said they would vote for him in one survey.
Several mayoral challengers to Adams have emerged, including progressive New York Comptroller Brad Lander and Democratic state Sen. Zellnor Myrie. There’s also been speculation that former New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo would step up if Adams declines to run for reelection.
