Walls are closing in and tumbling down in the Adams administration

  

THE CITY

 

Federal authorities have raided the homes of some of the highest-ranking members of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, including two deputy mayors and the schools chancellor, and seized the electronic devices of New York City’s police commissioner, sources familiar with the situation told THE CITY.

This extraordinary effort in the last two days to obtain evidence from some of the highest-ranking members of Adams’ team — all of whom have longtime and close ties to the mayor — follows other federal raids and seizures that have swept up the mayor and other top aides in what appears to be a broadening investigation of City Hall.

On Wednesday agents showed up around 5 a.m. at the Hamilton Heights townhouse of Sheena Wright, who also happens to be the fiancé of Chancellor Banks. The chancellor was seen by THE CITY entering and leaving the townhouse twice on Thursday. Asked about the raid, David Banks declined to comment, saying, “Today is the first day of school, and I am thrilled,” he said, jumping into a SUV to head to a scheduled appearance at a school in Queens.

At the same time agents raided Wright’s townhouse, they simultaneously descended upon Deputy Mayor Philip Banks III’s brick and clapboard single family in Hollis, the sources said. A neighbor of Phil Banks’ home told THE CITY they woke up to a disturbance Wednesday morning and about 15 agents were on the street.

Then on Thursday the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office issued search warrants seizing the cell phones of Police Commissioner Edward Caban, a development first reported by Spectrum News NY1. Asked about this, the department’s press office responded, “The Department is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation.”

A spokesperson for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams declined to comment.

The New York Times reported that the FBI raided the home of a third Banks brother, Terrence, and seized electronic devices from Tim Pearson, one of another senior advisor to the mayor and one of Adams’ closest associates. In a lawsuit filed recently against Pearson alleging workplace retaliation, the plaintiff stated an FBI agent recently knocked on his door and asked about Pearson.

Adams spoke briefly with reporters as he left City Hall on Thursday afternoon.

“The goal is to follow the law and that is what this administration always stood for and what we’re going to continue to stand for,” he said.

When asked if he thought his staff followed the law, given multiple investigations, Adams said: “I think I answered the question, and that I’m going to continue to say as I’ve lived my entire life and I have confidence in the team, the team here. We’re going to follow the rules and comply with any questions that are asked of us.” 

NY Post 

Federal agents hit NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and members of the nation’s biggest police force this week — amid a stunning spate of raids on others in Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle, sources said Thursday.

Agents showed up to the homes of Caban, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks and the townhouse shared by Schools Chancellor David Banks and First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright with search warrants early Wednesday and seized their electronic devices, according to law-enforcement sources.

Phil and David Banks’ brother, Terence Banks, a former MTA official who has turned to consulting work, was also targeted in the actions, sources said.

Another top Adams aide – retired NYPD inspector Timothy Pearson – had his phones subpoenaed, according to the sources.

It wasn’t clear if the raid on the Harlem home shared by Wright and David Banks targeted one or both of them.

The connections between the raids, subpoenas and other law enforcement sweeps targeting Caban, other NYPD officials and City Hall bigwigs remained murky Thursday.

But sources said the top cop and others in the department were targeted as part of a sweeping corruption probe involving influence peddling.

Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former NYPD sergeant, was served a search warrant with a subpoena, sources said. Investigators are looking into his role in the world of nightlife enforcement, according to sources.

Sources confirmed that NYPD Chief of Staff Raul Pintos and two precinct commanders in Manhattan and Queens were asked to turn over their phones.

The feds also are looking into rank-and-file NYPD officers, from precinct commanders on down, who serve in Midtown South and other precincts with a strong nightlife presence, sources said.

None has been accused of any crime.

The probes are being led by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, which has also been eyeing Adams’ 2021 campaign in another unrelated high-profile investigation, sources said.

Adams broke his daylong silence on the raids Thursday afternoon as he exited City Hall to a throng of reporters.

“As you’ve heard me say over and over again, as a former law enforcement person we will always follow the law and that is what this administration always stood for and will continue to stand for,” he said.

“Whatever information is needed, we will turn over.”

City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg, in a statement issued shortly after the raids were publicly revealed, implied city officials weren’t the probe’s ultimate targets.

“Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation,” said Zornberg in a statement.

“As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law.”

An NYPD spokesperson confirmed an investigation focused on police officials.

“The Department is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation,” the spokesperson said in a statement Thursday, referring questions to Manhattan federal prosecutors.

Caban could not be reached for comment. He was appointed to the commissioner role in July 2023 after previous top cop Keechant Sewell’s surprise resignation.

As commissioner, Caban works closely with the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office that now appears to be investigating him, many of his officers and a smorgasbord of his high-ranking city government counterparts.

Representatives for the US Attorney’s office declined to comment.

When The Post tried to reach Chief of Patrol John Chell for comment about the raids and subpoenas, NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information Tarik Sheppard got on the phone and called the reporter a “f—ing scumbag.”

Sources said Terence Banks is being eyed over suspicions that since his retirement, he has acted as an unregistered lobbyist, who has brought businesses to City Hall through connections to his brother in a way that circumvents conflict of interest rules, source said.

Pearson, an Adams confidante who recently made headlines for being the subject of a sexual harassment suit, has long faced scrutiny for his shady role within the administration, which includes overseeing contracts for security at migrant shelters.