Former NYC Mayor's Chief of Staff Charged in Bribery Case

The chief of staff for former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Frank Carone, has been indicted on multiple charges, including bribery and wire fraud, related to a city contract for emergency housing for migrants. The federal indictment, unsealed on Wednesday, alleges that Carone accepted over $100,000 in bribes to direct a multimillion-dollar shelter contract to a hotel in Queens.

Alongside Carone, his brother Anthony Carone, hotel owner Yan Po Zhu, and hotel employee Crystal Chen are also facing charges. The four were scheduled to appear in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday afternoon.

Prosecutors assert that Frank Carone, while serving as Adams' chief of staff, received a series of payments from Zhu and Chen in exchange for facilitating the contract. This contract was part of the city's response to the migrant crisis that escalated in 2022, as southern state governors began sending undocumented migrants to New York.

Carone, who played a significant role in Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign and later established a political consulting firm, has been described by his attorney, Arthur Aidala, as a victim of a weak case based on circumstantial evidence. Aidala criticized the indictment as a misuse of taxpayer resources, claiming it reflects a flawed criminal justice process.

In a statement, Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for Adams, emphasized Carone's long-standing commitment to public service and expressed support for him and his family during this ongoing legal matter.

The indictment details that Carone received approximately $120,000 from Zhu and Chen for the contract, with the funds funneled through a law firm owned by his brother. Initially, the city's Social Services Department had rejected the hotel's application to house migrants due to community opposition to existing shelters.

Following the rejection, Carone reportedly intervened on behalf of the hotel. Text messages included in the indictment reveal a close relationship between Carone and Zhu.

In a related development, federal agents conducted searches at the residences of current and former leaders within the New York Police Department as part of a separate bribery investigation linked to former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, who resigned in late 2024 amid allegations of misconduct.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR-2 News (source).