One of the most notable corruption cases in New York City History — starting with the filming of a music video in a Brooklyn church and ending with the mayor’s (already poor) reputation being shot — seems set to end in an anti-climactic manner. As of April 2, 2025, charges against Eric Adams were dismissed, leaving a wave of government distrust in its wake and a slew of Democratic candidates running to be New York City’s next mayor. The indictment claimed that Adams committed five separate crimes: bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and two counts of soliciting campaign donations from foreign bodies from as far back as 2014.
Since the indictment was dismissed with prejudice, prosecutors cannot revisit the charges until after the election in November. Somehow, in a scandal that caused a major chunk of his administration to resign in disgrace, Mayor Adams has escaped relatively unscathed. He maintains his position as mayor of New York, albeit with millions of dollars in debt and an unclear path to reelection.
In any other case, Adams’ career as a public servant would be finished, and he would most likely turn to a hedonistic, club-hopping lifestyle that he clearly yearns for, as he has blended his love of nightlife with his politics for years. But this is not any other political scandal, nor is Eric Adams any other corrupt politician. Adams has had amazing luck in his position, but most importantly, he has friends in powerful places…