Eric Adams' Former Chief of Staff Arrested for an Alleged Bribery Scheme Involving Migrant Shelters
The man in question is Frank Carone, 56, who served as Adams’ chief of staff during part of his term as mayor of New York City.
Eric Adams in Manhattan/ DECCIO SERRANO
Frank Carone, former chief of staff to Eric Adams, was arrested in Manhattan along with his brother and two other alleged accomplices in connection with a corruption case. The operation was carried out by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Carone, 56, served as Adams’ chief of staff during part of his term as mayor of City of New York. According to a statement released by the Department of Justice (DOJ), both he and his associates “devised and executed a plan to exploit the city’s immigration crisis for their own gain.”
According to the indictment, filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Carone allegedly used his position to steer the awarding of a multimillion-dollar contract to a Queens hotel owner to operate as an emergency shelter for migrants.
The indictment alleges that the payments were concealed through a purported fictitious legal arrangement involving the firm of Anthony Carone, Frank’s brother, who allegedly transferred part of the money to the former official via personal payments and checks. According to prosecutors, both brothers failed to report that income, and the money was disguised as legal fees to conceal the alleged corruption scheme.
The thirteen charges filed include a violation of the Travel Act, bribery related to federally funded programs, fraud against public integrity, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and tax fraud.
"As alleged in the indictment, the defendants exploited the unprecedented migrant crisis in New York City for their own personal gain," said Michael Considine, deputy chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
“The defendants engaged in a bribery scheme to secure a migrant shelter contract worth millions of dollars from a city agency funded in part by billions of federal dollars. Frank Carone and his brother Anthony Carone are also charged with evading taxes on the proceeds of that scheme. This case demonstrates the Office’s commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, and holding accountable those who misuse public funds for private gain,” he added.
The investigation was handed over to the DOJ because the corruption scheme under investigation occurred within the emergency shelter system created by New York City during the 2022 immigration crisis, a program that received approximately $1.8 billion in federal funds for services to asylum seekers.
LATEST
