Sources familiar with the investigation said that the FBI searched the homes of two close aides of New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday.
Sources said that the Hamilton Heights residence of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Banks and the Hollis Queens residence of Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks were both searched in connection with an ongoing investigation.
Lisa Zornberg said, “Investigators did not indicate to us that the Mayor or his staff were targets of any investigation.” “As an ex-law enforcement officer, the Mayor has made it clear to all team members that they must follow the law.”
The FBI declined to comment.
Sources claim that the FBI confiscated evidence during searches, including electronic devices. There have been no charges filed.
Sources said that federal investigators subpoenaed the cell phones of Tim Pearson, an adviser close to Adams, and Edward Caban, New York Police Commissioner.
The Department is aware of a U.S. Attorney’s Office investigation involving service members. “The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation”, an NYPD spokesperson said. Additional questions were referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office which declined to provide any comment.
Caban was one of four high-ranking NYPD officers who received subpoenas to produce their cell phones. Three other NYPD officers received subpoenas of the same nature. Sources claim that all complied with the subpoenas and handed over their cell phones.
Sources said that the subpoenas were part of the same probe that led the FBI to search the homes of Wright and Banks.
Wright and Banks were the two highest-ranking Adams Administration officials whose homes have been searched by federal agents.
Banks was the subject of an investigation by federal authorities in 2014 as part of a separate probe into corruption within the NYPD. In that investigation, he was listed as a co-conspirator but never charged. He resigned from his position as chief of the department, which was the highest uniformed rank.
The homes of Brianna Suggs, who is the mayor’s leading fundraiser, Rana Abbasova (his international affairs assistant), and Winnie Greco (a special advisor to the mayor, and director of Asian Affairs) were previously searched by federal officials.
According to a source with knowledge of the case, the searches on Thursday do not seem to have anything to do with the investigation into whether Adams received donations from Turkey as a form of official favors.
