NYC Mayor Eric Adams' former top adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin indicted on new bribery charges
As the New York City mayor's race heats up, a new City Hall corruption scandal could shake up the outcome.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a longtime adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, is facing more charges in four separate indictments, the Manhattan District Attorney's office announced Thursday.
She is accused of steering city contracts, including for asylum seeker shelters, fast tracking permits, influencing the Department of Transportation and speeding up development contracts in exchange for favors. The alleged crimes spanned from March 2022 to November 2024, when Lewis-Martin was serving as chief adviser to the mayor.
The new indictments accuse her of netting more than $75,000 in bribes and other benefits, including a role on a TV show.
Lewis-Martin and several co-defendants were arraigned Thursday morning after the indictments were unsealed.
Alleged $75,000 in bribes and an appearance on TV show
"While she allegedly received more than $75,000 in bribes and an appearance on a TV show, every other New Yorker lost out. Hardworking City employees were undermined, businesses and developers who followed the law were pushed aside, and the public was victimized by corruption at the highest levels of government," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement Thursday.
Lewis-Martin is now charged with four counts of conspiracy in the fourth degree and four counts of bribe receiving in the second degree. Eight other people are also facing charges in connection to the case and pleaded not guilty.
She and the others named in the indictment walked into court in handcuffs Thursday morning for arraignment. She appeared beside her son, Glenn D. Martin II, as they both pleaded not guilty. She left the courthouse without any comment.
Lewis-Martin and her son were previously indicted on bribery, conspiracy and money laundering charges last December. Her son is named as a co-conspirator in two of the new indictments, as well as the city's Deputy Commissioner for Real Estate Services at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services Jesse Hamilton.
Lewis-Martin's attorney released a statement, calling the new indictments "a distortion of the truth."
"Her only so-called 'offense' was fulfilling her duty—helping fellow citizens navigate the City's outdated and often overwhelming bureaucracy. At no point did she receive a single dollar or any personal benefit for her assistance," said attorney Arthur Aidala.
Adams has said Lewis-Martin is like a sister, and the longtime confidant worked alongside him for decades.
"While Ingrid Lewis-Martin no longer works for this administration, she has been a friend and colleague of the mayor for over 40 years, and he knows her as a devoted public servant; she has declared her innocence, and his prayers are with her and her family," a spokesperson for the mayor's reelection campaign said Thursday.
The spokesperson pointed out that Adams has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and that Hamilton is also entitled his presumption of innocence.
Hamilton's attorney released a statement saying he has dedicated his career to serving the people of New York and the allegations "do not reflect who he is, what he stands for, or the record of service he has built over decades." He later announced Hamilton made the decision to resign to focus on fighting the allegations.
"I ask everybody in the public to reserve judgment until we let the truth come out," attorney Mark Pollard said.
Lewis-Martin accused of accepting catering and home renovations
The first of the new indictments accuses Lewis-Martin and her son of steering city contracts for asylum seeker shelters to developer Tian Ji Li's preferred property owners. As part of that agreement, Li would allegedly receive 10% from the contract.
Lewis Martin allegedly called Hamilton and said, "I need those done ... whatever site TJ wants, I need him to get them. Because that's our f****** people."
At one point, Li allegedly wired $50,000 to Lewis-Martin's son's business account. She also allegedly helped expedite approvals by the FDNY and Department of Buildings for Li's karaoke club in Queens.
The second indictment centers around the controversial McGuiness Boulevard redesign in Brooklyn. Lewis-Martin is accused of conspiring to have the city's Department of Transportation withdraw its approval for a plan to install protected bike lanes along the boulevard because it was a road used by the company Broadway Stages. Its owners Gina and Anthony Argento allegedly conspired with Lewis-Martin to change the plan.
In response to a community-led campaign flyer about making the roadway safe, Lewis-Martin allegedly texted Gina Argento, "They can kiss my a**."
In exchange, she allegedly received a $2,500 payment, thousands of dollars in catering for an event at Gracie Mansion and a role on the TV show "Godfather of Harlem." The DA's office said the role paid more than $800 and made her eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild.
Local officials who fought for the bike lanes are outraged.
"What's clear is that Ingrid Lewis-Martin was more focused on enriching herself than protecting the health and safety of the people of Greenpoint, and that is disgraceful," Council Member Lincoln Restler said.
An attorney for the Argentos said, "We're going to beat the case, that's all." On Wednesday, attorneys for the Argentos and Broadway Stages had said their clients "categorically deny the allegations."
In the next indictment, Lewis-Martin, her son and Hamilton are accused of steering other city contracts and fast-tracking development projects in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens for real estate developed Yechiel Landau, who, in exchange, allegedly paid for more than $5,000 of renovations at a property Lewis-Martin owns and at Hamilton's residence.
The last indictment claims Lewis-Martin conspired to get approval for a residential renovation project in exchange for thousands of dollars in catering, including shrimp, crab cakes, salmon and octopus, for events at Gracie Mansion and City Hall.
All of the defendants were released and declined comment while leaving the courthouse.
Adams' former staffer Winnie Greco also caught scandal
Meanwhile, another of the mayor's former advisers, Winnie Greco, is also back in the spotlight. Greco is accused of handing a journalist an envelope of cash inside a bag of potato chips following a campaign event Wednesday in Harlem.
The journalist said Greco later apologized for making a mistake, and a spokesperson for the mayor's reelection campaign said Greco "holds no position in this campaign and has been suspended from all volunteer campaign-related activities."
Adams is running for reelection as an independent after his first term was rocked by a federal corruption case, which has since been dismissed. Greco resigned from City Hall last year after the FBI raided her home as part of the investigation.
The mayor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
