Former aide to Eric Adams arrested on charges of witness tampering
In developing news from New York, Mohamed Bahi, a former aide to Mayor Eric Adams, has been arrested on charges related to witness tampering and destruction of evidence in a federal investigation. This case has triggered FBI raids, a wave of resignations, and even implicated the mayor himself with bribery allegations.
Bahi, who previously headed the mayor’s community affairs office, resigned just prior to the announcement of the charges. Prosecutors allege that he directed several witnesses to provide misleading information to federal investigators regarding a December 2020 fundraiser tied to Adams’ successful mayoral campaign.
Federal authorities assert that Bahi, upon learning he was being investigated, deleted the Signal app—a secure messaging platform he used to communicate with Mayor Adams—from his phone.
US District Attorney Damian Williams made it clear just how serious these charges are. “The charges unsealed today should leave no doubt about the seriousness of any effort to interfere with a federal investigation, particularly when undertaken by a government employee,” he declared.
Currently, there are at least three federal corruption investigations targeting both Mayor Adams and his staff. Just last month, the mayor was hit with five counts of public corruption that include bribery and breaches of campaign finance laws. Adams has pleaded not guilty and is seeking to have the bribery charge dismissed.
“I am going to serve my term and run for re-election,” Adams stated confidently on Tuesday. “I believe that when both sides of this come to light, people will take a second look at the entirety of this situation.”
As this story evolves, questions linger about Adams’ ability to lead effectively while gearing up for re-election amid a series of serious allegations. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, the only official with the power to remove Adams from office, has not requested his resignation. If that were to occur, public advocate Jumaane Williams, a progressive Democrat, would step in as acting mayor until a new election is held.
With critical congressional elections approaching in the suburbs of New York City on November 5th, and Adams’ own re-election campaign set for 2026, it appears unlikely that Governor Hochul will risk removing him from his position and stirring up political unrest. “I’ve talked to the mayor about what my expectations are, and I don’t share details of private conversations,” Hochul noted recently, emphasizing the importance of Adams rebuilding trust with New Yorkers.
