Chief of staff to former NYC Mayor Eric Adams arrested in federal bribery probe, AP source says

The lower Manhattan skyline, including the new One World Trade Center building at right, is shown as viewed from near the Statue of Liberty, Jan. 31, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

2026-06-24T12:52:38Z

NEW YORK (AP) — A chief of staff to former New York City Mayor Eric Adams and several other people have been arrested as part of an investigation into an alleged bribery scheme involving a city contract, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Frank Carone, along with his brother and two others, were taken into custody, said the person, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.

No other details were immediately available. Indictments were expected to be unsealed later Wednesday.

Carone’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, called the indictment “weak” and “based on purely circumstantial evidence that’s not worth the paper upon which it is printed.”

“Today’s indictment is a sad day for our criminal justice system,” Aidala said in a statement. “It epitomizes the government first finding a target and then spending three years and enormous taxpayer resources to find a crime.”

In a separate statement, Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for Adams, said Carone “dedicated decades of his life to public service, the legal profession, and helping countless individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations throughout New York.”

“This is an ongoing legal matter and my prayers are with his family,” Shapiro’s statement said.

JAKE OFFENHARTZ Offenhartz is a general assignment reporter in the New York City bureau of The Associated Press. twitter mailto MICHAEL R. SISAK Sisak is an Associated Press reporter covering law enforcement, courts and prisons. He is based in New York. twitter mailto ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Richer covers the Justice Department and federal courts. She joined The AP in 2013 and is based in Washington. twitter