THE NYPOST reports that the recent federal raids targeting Mayor Eric Adams’ senior staff and close political allies have thrown both the NYPD and City Hall into chaos. Sources reveal that the anxiety among police officials has escalated to the point where they are holding secret meetings in parking lots rather than inside One Police Plaza.
On Monday, several top NYPD officials were observed gathering in a secured, fenced-off parking area rather than their usual headquarters. Law enforcement insiders told The Post that there’s a growing fear that NYPD headquarters might be compromised with surveillance equipment, leading them to worry that their conversations are being recorded.
“The federal authorities have made it clear that they can reach anyone, at any time, in any place,” one source told The Post, commenting on the unprecedented nature of the recent raids. Mayor Adams, who frequently uses multiple burner phones, has continued this practice. According to a council source, the last contact number available for him was already outdated.
In response to the heightened concerns, officials have increased the frequency of their bug sweeps at NYPD headquarters and city vehicles, including those used by the mayor. Even before the recent upheavals, these checks were performed daily, but the intensity has markedly increased due to the latest developments.
Political sources also disclosed that Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the mayor’s chief advisor, has been cautioning staff to avoid discussing sensitive matters over the phone. “Don’t say that on the phone!” she reportedly advised during conversations, reflecting the growing paranoia within the administration.
This heightened caution follows a Manhattan District Attorney’s Office wiretap investigation that implicated several individuals within the Adams administration, culminating in the indictment of former city Department of Buildings head Eric Ulrich on bribery charges in September 2023. Ulrich has entered a plea of not guilty.
The situation intensified the following month when federal investigations into Adams’ 2021 campaign came to light, highlighted by a raid on the Brooklyn home of Brianna Suggs, a fundraiser and close associate of Lewis-Martin. The more recent raids are linked to probes by the Southern District of New York, focusing on broad corruption and influence peddling, which has created a pervasive atmosphere of fear.
Some officials have even drawn comparisons between the federal government’s aggressive tactics and the London Blitz—the extensive bombing campaign by Germany during World War II aimed at breaking British resolve. “The NYPD is the mayor’s most crucial agency, one he knows best,” a source noted. “The federal authorities have delivered a stark message: they can dismantle its core components.”
Those ensnared by the federal investigations include Police Commissioner Edward Caban, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, Schools Chancellor David Banks, and First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. Federal agents raided their residences early last Wednesday, seizing various electronic devices.
The federal probe has also extended to Terence Banks, Phil and David Banks’ brother and a former MTA official turned consultant, as well as Timothy Pearson, a top aide to Adams whose phone has been subpoenaed. To date, no charges have been filed against anyone involved.