Blue City Mayor’s Ex-Chief Of Staff Indicted In Corruption Probe

Federal authorities on Wednesday arrested Frank Carone, who served as chief of staff to former New York City Mayor Eric Adams from January 2022 until December 2022. Carone was arrested along with his brother Anthony Carone, Queens hotel owner Yan Po Zhu, and hotel employee Crystal Chen.

The arrests followed the unsealing of a federal indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn. All four individuals were arraigned in federal court later in the day.

The indictment charges Frank and Anthony Carone with multiple counts, including violations of the Travel Act, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, honest services fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and tax fraud. Zhu and Chen face related bribery and conspiracy charges. Prosecutors allege that while Frank Carone was chief of staff, he used his position to influence the award of a multimillion-dollar emergency shelter contract to Zhu’s hotel in Long Island City, Queens.

The hotel received approximately $6.8 million in city payments for housing migrants and homeless individuals during the city’s migrant influx.

According to the indictment, the Carone brothers allegedly accepted roughly $120,000 in bribes from Zhu and Chen. The payments were funneled through Anthony Carone’s law firm using cash, checks, and other methods to conceal the transactions.

Court documents reference text messages and social interactions, including socializing at Zhu’s Long Island home. One message reportedly stated, “I asked my partners to pay you for a year.”

Frank Carone is also accused of deleting messages after learning of the investigation. The hotel had initially been rejected by city agencies due to local opposition and capacity concerns before the contract was approved.

The indictment refers to unnamed “relevant individuals,” including appointees to the New York City Department of Social Services and Department of Homeless Services made during the Adams administration. These individuals are not charged.

Frank Carone, a longtime Brooklyn political advisor and figure in Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign, left City Hall at the end of 2022 and later worked in lobbying and consulting.

Adams’ spokesperson issued a statement describing Carone as having dedicated decades to public service and expressing support for him and his family.

Carone’s attorney called the charges based on circumstantial evidence following a lengthy investigation and criticized the government’s approach. Attorneys for the other defendants indicated they would plead not guilty.

This case is part of broader federal scrutiny of the Adams administration. In September 2024, Adams was federally indicted on charges including bribery, wire fraud, and illegal campaign contributions related primarily to Turkish officials.

A federal judge dismissed those charges with prejudice in April 2025. Other associates have faced charges, including former chief advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin, indicted on bribery-related counts in 2025, and probes into additional city contracting and influence matters.

On the same day as the Carone arrests, federal agents and NYPD Internal Affairs executed search warrants at homes of several current and former NYPD officials, including former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, in a separate investigation into departmental promotions and integrity issues. No arrests were reported from those searches, and the probe remains ongoing.

Eric Adams is not named as a defendant in the June 24 indictment. The charges center on actions attributed to Carone and the co-defendants during Carone’s time in office.

Given the dismissal with prejudice of the prior federal case against Adams and the status of separate investigations into administration contracting practices, it remains unclear whether Adams will face additional legal action.

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