Former Chief Adviser to Eric Adams Indicted in Bribery Scheme
Ingrid Lewis-Martin faces charges in a $100,000 bribery scheme involving city permits and influence-peddling
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Eric Adams, New York, Bribery, Corruption
New York: So, here’s the scoop. Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who used to be a top adviser to Mayor Eric Adams, just turned herself in to the city prosecutors. She’s facing some serious charges tied to a bribery investigation that’s been going on for a while.
It gets juicier. Lewis-Martin, along with her son and a couple of real estate investors, has been indicted for a $100,000 bribery scheme. They allegedly used her position to push through construction permits for a rooftop bar and a hotel. Talk about using connections!
The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, didn’t hold back. He said Lewis-Martin abused her power to line her pockets and those of her son. It’s a classic case of quid pro quo, where favors were exchanged for cash and benefits.
Jocelyn Strauber, who heads the city’s department of investigation, chimed in too. She pointed out that when officials start cashing in on their positions, it really messes with public trust and tarnishes the reputation of honest city workers.
To make things even sketchier, Lewis-Martin and her son tried to cover their tracks by using encrypted messaging apps and coded language. They were really trying to keep things under wraps!
And here’s a kicker: her son allegedly got two checks for $50,000 each from their co-conspirators, which he deposited in a joint account with his mom. Some of that cash even went to buy a Porsche. Yikes!
This whole mess is separate from the federal charges that Mayor Adams is dealing with, which involve luxury gifts and some questionable dealings with the fire department. It’s a tangled web of corruption!
Lewis-Martin’s lawyer insists she didn’t do anything wrong, claiming the narrative is being twisted. She herself denied any involvement in the bribery scheme, saying she never made any shady arrangements.