Prosecutors are instructed by the US Justice Department to dismiss the corruption investigation against the NYC mayor

The US Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors to dismiss the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The order, issued by Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove—an appointee of President Donald Trump—argues that the indictment has hindered the mayor’s ability to tackle illegal immigration and violent crime in the city.

Adams, a Democrat who has recently cultivated a closer relationship with Trump, has urged law enforcement to cooperate with the president’s immigration raids, though he denies any direct discussion with Trump regarding his case. The mayor faces five charges, accusing him of accepting illegal campaign contributions and gifts in return for his influence, and has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors have yet to confirm whether they will comply with the directive, noting that any decision must be formally submitted to and approved by a judge. In a memo, Bove stated, “You are directed, as authorized by the attorney general, to dismiss the pending charges.” The memo further indicates that the case may be reexamined following the November 2025 mayoral election, but prohibits any additional investigative actions until then. It also instructs prosecutors to “take all steps within your power to cause Mayor Adams’ security clearance to be restored.”

Bove, who previously served as Trump’s defense lawyer during his criminal trial last year, claimed that the department reached this conclusion without evaluating the strength of the evidence or the legal theories supporting the case. He emphasized that the decision “in no way calls into question the integrity and efforts” of the prosecutors involved.

This development follows a reported meeting in New York between Adams’ legal team and federal prosecutors. Adams, who recently attended the presidential inauguration and met with Trump in Florida, has in recent weeks directed city law enforcement to assist federal immigration authorities with new raids in New York City—a move criticized by opponents as undermining local sanctuary city policies.

Before the election, Trump contended that he and Adams were “persecuted” for opposing the immigration policies of former President Joe Biden. The memo also noted that “it cannot be ignored that Mayor Adams criticized the prior administration’s immigration policies before the charges were filed.”

The 57-page indictment filed in September alleges that Adams accepted illegal gifts worth more than $100,000 from Turkish citizens and at least one government official, in exchange for favors such as assisting Turkish officials in bypassing safety regulations to establish a consulate in New York.

Professor Stephen Gillers, a legal ethics expert at New York University Law School, told NBC News that Bove’s memo represents “a baseless and offensive slur against the former US attorney and the lawyers who worked on the Adams case.” Meanwhile, Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, described the directive as a victory for his client, asserting, “As I said from the outset, the mayor is innocent—and he would prevail. Today he has.”