Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who was once Adams’ chief adviser, and her son were indicted on charges of taking part in a bribery conspiracy scheme, officials said.
The former top aide to New York Mayor Eric Adams was charged with receiving bribes in a classic “quid pro quo” scheme with a real estate business that financially benefited her and her son, officials said Thursday.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin “engaged in a long-running bribery, money laundering and conspiracy scheme” to “illegally influence Department of Buildings and other city decisions in exchange for more than $100,000 in cash and benefits for herself and her son, Glenn Martin II,” DA Alvin Bragg said in a filing in state Supreme Court in Manhattan. Supreme Court is a trial court in New York state.
Lewis-Martin, Martin and two real estate investors, Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi, pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan courtroom Thursday afternoon to a variety of charges linked to the allegations.
Prosecutors called Lewis-Martin “the second most senior person in City Hall” and said she “abused her position and sold her influence to enrich herself and her family.”
“The indictment unsealed today can be summarized in three words — quid pro quo,” Bragg told reporters.
“Today’s indictment alleges and portrays a clear picture: ‘You do this for me and I will do that for you.’ It was not what is in the best interest of the city of New York and those who live here.”
Lewis-Martin had been the longtime chief adviser to Adams until she abruptly resigned Sunday, another tumultuous moment for Adams, the mayor of America’s biggest city.
Lewis-Martin and her son shared a joint bank account that was used to buy him a 2023 Porsche, support his DJ business and help finance his plans to open a Chick-fil-A franchise, officials said.
The defendants communicated using encrypted apps with “coded language” to ask for help inside City Hall, Bragg said.
“This was an unfettered, on-call quid pro quo arrangement,” Bragg said.
Lewis-Martin’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, scoffed at the case.
“The district attorney’s office’s interpretation of these facts will make no sense to any New York jury,” Aidala said in a statement. “To think a high-ranking city official would take a bribe in the form of a check and deposit it into their own bank account defies common sense.”
Lewis-Martin and her son were charged with conspiracy, receiving bribes and money laundering. Vaid and Dwivedi were charged with bribery and conspiracy.
“We look forward to the citizens of the city of New York, who Ingrid has served so admirably for decades, clearing her name after a trial,” Aidala added.
A federal grand jury indicted Adams three months ago on bribery, campaign finance and conspiracy charges.
Adams accused of receiving lavish gift and illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals, including Turkish interests, to help Turkey’s government bypass New York City safety guidelines to open a new consulate building.
The case against Lewis-Martin has no connection to Adams, prosecutors said.
“The mayor is not a target of our investigation, and we do not have evidence of criminal conduct by the mayor,” Bragg said.
The Adams administration has seen a mass exodus in recent weeks of officials and advisers.
Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned Sept. 12 amid a federal probe into the police department’s nightclub enforcement, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Adams’ chief counsel, Lisa Zornberg, resigned Sept. 14 in the wake of mounting legal issues for her boss.
City Schools Chancellor David Banks was set to retire and leave office late this year but instead hastened his departure to mid-October.
Sheena Wright, Adams’ top deputy mayor, resigned Oct. 8.
