Ex-Advisor To NYC Mayor Eric Adams Faces Bribery Allegation Over Cash Handover

Last Updated:August 22, 2025, 00:07 IST

The encounter took place on the evening of August 20 at a Whole Foods Market in Harlem.

This controversy comes at a sensitive time for Mayor Adams | File Image/AP

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is actively working on his re-election campaign, but a recent controversy involving a former adviser has presented an unexpected setback. Winnie Greco, once a close aide to the mayor, has been suspended from the campaign after allegedly attempting to hand over an envelope filled with cash to a local reporter, as per NewsNation.

The encounter took place on the evening of August 20 at a Whole Foods Market in Harlem. According to reports, Greco handed a crumpled bag of potato chips, containing at least $100 in cash, to a journalist from the local news outlet THE CITY. The reporter immediately declined the bag, suspecting something inappropriate, and later reached out to Greco directly to refuse the money.

“I met her across the street, and as soon as I walked into the Whole Foods, she handed me the bag of potato chips. I said at least three times, ‘No, it’s okay, I don’t want them,’” the journalist recounted in an interview with PIX11 News.

Following the incident, THE CITY reported the matter to the New York City Department of Investigation. Subsequently, the outlet’s legal representatives were contacted by federal prosecutors based in Brooklyn, indicating that the matter is being taken seriously at both the city and federal levels.

A spokesperson for Mayor Adams’ re-election campaign issued a swift response, distancing the mayor from the situation. “We are shocked by these reports,” the statement said. “Winnie Greco holds no position in this campaign and has been suspended from all volunteer campaign-related activities.”

Greco, through her attorneys, has described the event as a misunderstanding rooted in cultural differences. She expressed regret for the incident and apologised for “confusion this may have caused.”

According to The Guardian, Greco had previously served as a longtime aide to Adams but resigned amid an FBI investigation. At the time of the latest incident, she was serving only in a volunteer capacity for the mayor’s re-election campaign.

This controversy comes at a sensitive time for Mayor Adams. Notably, another of his former advisor, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, was recently charged by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office with bribery, conspiracy, and money laundering.

Location :

New York, United States of America (USA)

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